ISLAMABAD: Between November 2024 and September 2026, the Supreme Court of Pakistan spearheaded a sweeping institutional transformation aimed at making the country’s justice system faster, more transparent, and easily accessible to ordinary citizens. Driven by an 86-point Reform Action Plan, the judiciary has modernized court operations, integrated cutting-edge technology, and drastically reduced chronic case backlogs.

Out of the 86 reform targets introduced across case management, judicial administration, technology, public facilitation, and accountability, 64 actions have already been completed, 11 are firmly on track, and the remaining 11 are under active review.


1. Historic Reduction in Case Backlog

One of the most prominent achievements of the two-year reform drive is the substantial drop in pending litigation at the apex court:

• 47% Decline in Pendency: Pending cases at the Supreme Court fell from 60,304 in November 2024 to 31,927 in September 2026.

• Accelerated Disposal Rates: While 22,213 cases were transferred to the Federal Constitutional Court following the constitutional amendment, the Supreme Court independently disposed of 6,998 more cases than were newly instituted during this period.

• Annual Output Surge: Annual case disposal jumped by roughly 56%, rising from 16,620 cases in 2023–24 to 25,989 in 2024–25.


2. Prioritizing Long-Pending Litigation

Through dedicated benches, early-hearing mechanisms, and structured case fixation, the court tackled decades-old backlogs affecting personal liberty and family welfare:

• Death Appeals: Progressed from cases filed in 2015 up to 2026.

• Bail-After-Arrest Matters: Advanced from 2009 filings all the way to 2026.

• Family Litigation: Cleared backlogs spanning from 2010 up to 2026, alongside heightened focus on taxation and service disputes.


3. Digital Transformation and E-Governance

Backed by the Supreme Court Rules, 2025, the judiciary replaced outdated paper-heavy routines with streamlined digital infrastructure:

• Over 45,131 cases were electronically filed (e-filed).

• More than 264,000 judgments were digitized for public and legal access.

• Over 34,883 certified copies were issued via automated, system-enabled workflows.

• Looking ahead, principle approval has been granted for a National Unified E-Filing and Electronic Judicial Record System featuring a Universal Case Identification Number, alongside national guidelines for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)in courts.


4. Public Facilitation and Inclusive Justice

To eliminate procedural hurdles for ordinary litigants, the apex court launched several citizen-first initiatives:

• Dedicated Support Centres: Established a Public Facilitation Centre, a Free Legal Advice Call Centre for underprivileged citizens, and an Overseas Litigants' Facilitation Cell for Pakistanis residing abroad.

• Women-Friendly Courts: Women-centric facilities were established at 398 locations, with plans underway for state-of-the-art Women Facilitation Centres equipped with childcare rooms, mediation spaces, and secure waiting areas.


5. Nationwide Judicial Impact and Accountability

Under the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, reforms cascaded down to the lower judiciary. Between September 2025 and July 2026, the District Judiciary disposed of 1,467,675 time-bound cases across 17 prioritized categories, while Model Criminal and Civil Courts decided 91,071 and 42,386 cases respectively.

To uphold internal integrity, an Anti-Corruption Hotline was launched to address misconduct involving court staff, reinforced by internal audits, solar energy upgrades via the Access to Justice Development Fund, and international cooperation on cybersecurity and judicial training.