SC disposes of 3171 cases during October
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Supreme Court of Pakistan disposed of 3171 cases during the month of October 2007 whereas 411 new cases were instituted.
More disposal than institutions is an obvious expression of the competence and efficacy of the Supreme Court. According to a press release issued here on Friday, in Supreme Court Main Registry, Islamabad 164 cases were instituted and 2985 cases were disposed of during the month. In Branch Registry, Lahore 140 cases were instituted and 113 cases were disposed of, in Branch Registry, Karachi 54 cases were instituted and 36 cases were disposed of, in Branch Registry, Peshawar 37 cases were instituted and 14 cases were disposed off and in Branch Registry Quetta 16 cases were instituted and 23 cases were disposed of.
Thus total institution during the month was 411 while disposal of cases at Supreme Court Main Registry as well as Branch Registries was 3171.
The backlog in the apex Court on 1st October 2007 was 17234 cases. The progressive total of pending cases as on October 31, 2007 was 17652. As 3171 cases were disposed off in the month of October, the backlog on November 1, 2007 remains 14474.
Various Benches of Supreme Court were constituted by the Chief Justice of Pakistan at the Principal Seat, Islamabad and Branch Registries at Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta to expedite the hearing of cases and clear the backlog.
The backlog increased above 17000 in recent months. But under the dynamic leadership of the Chief Justice and progressive strategy, of preparing cause-lists in advance and discouraging adjournments, the apex court has been able to bring down the pendency once again to 14474 cases.
The Judges of the apex court also worked very hard to decide and dispose of cases more expeditiously. Supreme Court has been hearing the important cases since March 9, 2007. The full court of the court of Supreme Court remained busy in hearing the high profile constitutional petition of Chief Justice for almost one and a half month.
Similarly, other constitutional petitions which demanded Larger Benches and earlier hearings kept the Judges of Supreme Court busy in the hearings.