PESHAWAR: The PTI government in KP has completely failed in providing timely justice to people.
The claimants of providing speedy justice wasted about five years to amend 109-year-old Civil Procedural Code. The PTI formed its government in KP in 2013 and approved an amendment to clear cases speedily in 2018. Cases were delayed due to shortage of courts and judges. There are still 61 posts of judges lying vacant. In 2017, under-trial and new cases were 571461. In the previous year, 365187 cases were cleared.
In KP, the total number of district and addition district judges, senior civil judges and civil judges was 411. Every judge heard 1390 cases. While working for 26 days of a month, every judge had to hear 53 to 54 cases daily. Giving 10 minutes to each case, the judges had to work for 540 minutes without break. The annual vacation of judges number 40.
Under the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation enforced in Malakand, it is a must to appoint one sessions judge for 150 cases and one civil judge for 200 cases. According to documents obtained from the Peshawar High Court, in January 2018, the number of under-trail cases in civil and district courts was 205181. According to data collected at the district level, in the start of 2017, the total number of big and small cases in 2017 was 26140. After filing of 64231 cases, the number increased to 90371. Of them, 60560 cases were disposed of.
In district Naushera, 11492 cases were under trial. After filing of new case, the cases number increased to 27877. Of them, 15431 cases were cleared, whereas 11713 cases are still under trial. In district Charsadda, the number of under-trial cases was 8321. As many as 23523 new cases were filed. The number of total cases was 31844. Hearing is still pending in 9551 cases. In district Mardan, 16843 cases were under trial. 39569 new cases were filed. Their number increased to 56412. 35349 cases were disposed of, whereas 20519 cases are still under trial. In district Swabi, the under-trial cases were 10719. 17571 new cases were filed. The total number was 28294. 17597 cases were disposed of, whereas 11111 cases are being heard. In Malakand, the under-trial cases were 2785. 5394 new cases were filed. The total number was 8179. 5102cases were disposed of, whereas 3064 cases are still being heard. In Swat, 9108 cases were under trial. 17701 new cases were filed and the total number increased to 26809. 17159 cases were disposed of, whereas 10354 cases are still under trial. In Shangla, 1432 cases were under trial. 3826 new cases were filed. The total number was 5258. 3819 cases were disposed of, whereas 1274 cases are still under trial. In Dir Pine, 4156 cases were under trial. 7558 new cases were filed. The total number was 11714. 6964 cases were disposed of, whereas 4533 cases are still under trial. In Dir Bala, 3391 cases were under trial. 5710 new cases were filed. The total number was 9101. 5256 cases were cleared, whereas 3700 cases are still under trial. In Buner, 4608 cases were under trial. 7275 new cases were filed. The total number was 11883. 7605 cases were disposed of, whereas 3534 cases are still under trial. In Chitral, 3597 cases are under trial. 3,897 new cases were registered and 4,713 disposed of, while 2,609 are still pending.
In Dera Ismail Khan, 13,092 cases were pending, while 20,755 new ones registered, thus propelling the total to 33,847. Meanwhile, 19,972 cases were disposed of, while 11,598 are still pending.
In Tank, the number of pending cases was 2,205, but the total reached 8,892 with an addition of 6,687. However, 5,504 cases were disposed of and 4,173 are still pending.
The number of pending cases in Bannu was 7,824 and of new 27,728, making a total of 35,552. However, 26,376 were disposed of, meaning that another 8,331 are still pending.
Lakki Marwat had 4,395 pending cases, 13,759 new ones were registered and thus the total reached 18,154. However, 12,651 were disposed of and 4,982 are still pending.
In Kohat, the number of pending cases was 10,419 and another 17,418 were added, after which the total jumped to 27,837. Meanwhile, 18,361 were disposed of and 9,372 are still pending.
In Hangu, 1,489 cases were pending and 6,465 added, thus the total became 7,954. However, 6,820 of these were disposed of and 1,262 are still pending. Karak had 6,184 pending cases and the total reached 17,250 with an addition of 11,066. Of these cases, 9,548 were disposed of, while 7,688 are still pending.
In Haripur, the total reached 30,036 after an addition of 18,277 to the 11,759 cases. The number of disposed of cases was 18,315 with 11,235 still pending cases.
The backlog in Abbottabad was 17,322 and the total reached 35,623 when another 18,301 cases were registered. The number of disposed of and the still pending cases is 18,111 and 18,147 respectively.
Mansehra had a backlog of 9,506 cases and 19,939 new ones were registered, meaning that the total reached 28,445. However, 18,041 of these were disposed of and 10,543 are still pending. In Battagram, the number of pending cases was 1,995 and 4,451 were added, making a total of 6,446. Of these, 4,692 were disposed of and 1,792 are still pending.
The backlog in Kohistan was 602 and the total reached 2,990 after another 2,388 were added. The number of pending cases is 615 as 2,335 of these were disposed of.
Torghar had 663 pending cases but this number climbed to 3,205 when 2,542 were added. However, 2,612 cases were disposed of, meaning that 1,123 are still pending.
The data shows that the province has 25 posts of district and sessions judge, but three of these are vacant. In case of senior civil judges, four out of a total of 32 are vacant.
Of the 307 sanctioned posts of civil judges/ judicial magistrates/ family judges, 54 are vacant. However, 108 additional district and sessions judges are working the province against 103 posts.
