The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set a target to dispose of all pending death penalty and life imprisonment cases within the next 45 days.
According to an official statement, the total number of pending criminal cases has significantly decreased from 19,549 in October 2024 to 12,705. Between February 9 and 14, 2026, the Supreme Court disposed of 354 criminal cases related to death sentences and life imprisonment.
During the same week, 131 new cases concerning death and life sentences were filed. The weekly disposal rate was approximately 270 percent higher than the number of newly instituted cases.
The statement further noted that the apex court has decided to prioritize all pending death penalty cases up to January 2026. Special benches, reform groups, and judicial teams have been formed to achieve these targets.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan has also directed that jail petitions concerning under-trial prisoners be processed in a more organized and expedited manner, introducing a clear and predictable timeline from filing to final decision.
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