Pakistan Bar Council Vice-Chairman Haroon-ur-Rashid has said that there are an estimated 60,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court, emphasizing that despite being repeatedly highlighted, important cases are still not scheduled for early hearing.
Addressing the full court ceremony at the commencement of the new judicial year, Haroon-ur-Rashid said that no transparent system has been devised for the hearing of pending cases.
He pointed out that in most cases, detailed decisions are not issued on time, and in between, judges retire. In some cases, larger benches were ordered, but that has not happened either. He requested the nominated Chief Justice to fix the benches in the same week as new and urgent cases are filed.
Haroon-ur-Rashid added that a large number still await the first hearing. “There is a general impression that when the cases of a few special people are filed, they are immediately settled, whereas the general cases are fixed after a long time resulting in disappointment,” he said, adding that this practice should, henceforth, be dispelled.
He further said that a system should be created in which cases are assigned without discrimination, the common people do not feel deprived and trust in the institution persists. He further highlighted that decisions have been made in many cases but their written orders have not been provided.
Vice-Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Haroon-ur-Rashid also said that complete information should be provided to the Supreme Body of Lawyers, hoping the apex court will not be deprived of the right to access information.
