ISLAMABAD: The 110 Model Criminal Trial Courts (MCTC) across the country have so far decided a total of 5,647 murder and narcotics trial cases in two and a half months, according to a report issued on Monday with new model trial courts to start functioning towards the end of the month.

The Consolidated Progress Report of Model Criminal Trial Courts of Pakistan, released by Islamabad District and Sessions Judge Sohail Nasir, also the Director General Monitoring of Model Courts, states that a total of 2,236 murder cases were decided between April 1, 2019 and June 15, 2019 and a total of 3,411 narcotics cases had been disposed of during the period.

The model trial courts awarded death sentence in 175 cases and life imprisonment in 535 cases.

The 1,352 accused have been convicted and were fined Rs260 million after their conviction.

More model trial courts to start functioning by end of June

Judge Nasir said on the occasion that Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khan Khosa has approved 57 new MCTCs across the country which would start functioning from June 24 at the tehsil level.

“Murder cases and trial in the narcotics offences are usually disposed of in four to five years,” he said. “But for model trial courts the time for the disposal of a trial is three months,” he added.

Judge Nasir in his remarks praised Justice Khosa for the concept. “This is the brainchild of Justice Khosa when he was the Senior Puisne Judge in the Supreme Court.”

He said that Justice Khosa directed him to implement the MCTC project in the entire Punjab within a week after assuming the charge of Chief Justice of Pakistan.

He said that MCTCs are applying latest mechanism and information technology for swift disposal of the murder trial and narcotics related cases which have reduced the overall cost as there was no longer the need to transport the accused for instance as the courts could record testimonies through video link.

Province-wise breakdown

The 88 murder and 134 narcotics trial cases have been decided by two MCTCs in Islamabad, in 36 model courts of Punjab 660 murder and 1,475 narcotics cases were decided, 661 in murder and 1,024 in 26 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MCTCs, 597 murder and 541 narcotics cases in 27 model courts of Sindh and 230 murder and 237 narcotics cases were decided by 19 model courts in Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2019