• SC sets 45-day disposal target for unsettled capital punishment and life-term trials
• Law & Justice Commission to develop free legal aid framework

ISLAMABAD: Aiming to “translate reform into measurable outcomes”, the Supreme Court, under the leadership of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, on Monday decided that all pending death sentence cases up to Jan 2026 would be prioritised, with all capital punishment and life imprisonment cases targeted for disposal within the next 45 days.

“Dedicated benches, reform groups and judicial teams are actively pursuing these objectives through structured planning, continuous monitoring and coordinated institutional efforts,” an announcement said.

It said the criminal justice

delivery system was being strengthened through sustained institutional reforms, effective case management and a firm commitment to expeditious and fair adjudication.

Since the assumption of office by the CJP in Oct 2024, the overall pendency of criminal cases before the SC has been reduced from 19,549 to 12,705, reflecting a substantial and sustained decline in the backlog, it added.

It continued that this progress was further reflected in weekly disposal trends. “During the week from Feb 9 to 14, 2026, the SC disposed of 354 criminal cases relating to death sentences and life imprisonment alone, while 131 cases of the same category were instituted.”

It further stated that the disposal during the week was around “270 per cent higher than the institution, underscoring sustained momentum in criminal adjudication, proactive bench constitution and the court’s focused approach to reducing the pendency of cases”.

“These outcomes flow from a consistent and structured reform policy endorsed in recent reform review meetings chaired by the CJP,” it read.

It stated that the SC’s “sustained focus on criminal justice reform also aligns with the CJP’s broader reform agenda concerning under-trial prisoners”.

“Clear directions have been issued to regulate, expedite and introduce predictable timelines for jail petitions from filing to disposal, to reduce uncertainty, ease the hardships faced by under-trial prisoners and ensure humane and constitutionally compliant justice delivery.”

Free legal aid

Meanwhile, the CJP, who is also chairman of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), chaired the 47th meeting of the body on Monday to deliberate on proposals for advancing law reform in line with constitutional mandates and contemporary societal needs.

Under its statutory mandate to recommend reforms for improving the justice system, the commission undertook a comprehensive review of key reform initiatives, including family laws, the Code of Criminal Procedure, procedural reforms for e-filing of cases, and other areas requiring legislative modernisation.

In a landmark decision, the commission tasked the LJCP Secretariat with developing a comprehensive framework for a free legal aid and advisory mechanism, including systemic arrangements in collaboration with the high courts and bar regulatory bodies.

The framework will explore modalities for institutionalising pro bono commitments and funding from the relevant window of the Access to Justice Development Fund.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring that no deserving litigant goes unrepresented and that every citizen, regardless of financial means, has access to legal advice and assistance.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026