Three-month deadline set to clear 1,761 murder cases

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court has expressed serious concern over the growing backlog of murder cases in the province and has ordered that all pending cases registered up to 2023 be decided within three months.

The Member Inspection Team has written to the session judges regarding the increasing pendency of murder cases across the province. The letter states that, according to the case management system, a large number of older murder cases remain unresolved in various districts. As many as 1,761 murder cases registered up to 2023 are still pending.

The chief justice of the SHC has directed all district and sessions judges to monitor these cases on a daily basis. They have been instructed to fix hearings on a weekly basis and ensure that all pending cases are brought to a logical conclusion within three months.

Session judges have also been directed to submit monthly performance reports on case disposal.

District-wise, Khairpur has 242 pending cases, while Karachi alone accounts for 632 pending murder cases.

The High Court has reiterated its directive to all district and sessions judges to ensure daily monitoring and weekly hearings to expedite the disposal of all pending cases registered up to 2023 within the stipulated three-month period.