PHC disposal of over 7426 cases in last quarter: report

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court disposed of 7426 cases during the last quarter of the year.

In view of the Judicial Reform Strategy 2018-22, the Peshawar High Court proclaimed its first performance year in 2018, said a communique, adding, the second performance year was launched in the year 2019.

The press release said the outbreak of the Covid-19 influenced litigation and functionality of the court proceedings were crippled as the courts remained closed for over three months. This resulted in an increase in the backlog of cases.

The PHC, therefore, after analysing the performance of the district judiciary devised an exhaustive and all-encompassing policy, focusing on worldwide acknowledged key performance indicators (KPIs). The policy provided three main zones keeping in view the pendency of cases.

The requirement of disposal of cases in terms of the policy was 20% for Zone “A”, 30% for Zone “B” and 100 % for Zone “C” for clearance of backlog in addition to 100% disposal against the institution, it said.

Besides other spheres, the statement said, the Child Protection courts, showed commendable performance by deciding 1366 cases as against the institution of 1247 cases. The total pendency remained 41958 cases.

Facilitation of the litigants has long been a focus of the policy concern of the Peshawar High Court. With this end in view, the PHC pioneered the initiative of authorization of the copying agents of the offices of the districts and sessions judges to certify and issue copies from the record of this court and its benches to the extent of the record of respective districts.

The PHC, realizing that the use of technology is increasing at a breakneck pace, also started virtual hearing of the cases and virtual benches were created. The creation of the e-courts, virtual benches, and the establishment of the Remote Access Rooms for virtual hearings of the cases is the blueprint for the future of PHC, the statement concluded.