The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set a 45-day target to clear all pending death sentence and life imprisonment cases, as part of efforts to fast-track criminal justice reforms.

According to an official statement, the initiative is being implemented under the leadership of the Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, with a focus on reducing long-pending criminal appeals.

The court said that since October 2024, the total number of pending criminal cases has declined from 19,549 to 12,705, reflecting a significant improvement in case disposal.

Between February 9 and 14, 2026, the Supreme Court disposed of 354 cases related to death sentences and life imprisonment. During the same period, 131 new cases were filed.

On a weekly basis, the disposal rate was nearly 270 per cent higher than the number of newly instituted cases, indicating accelerated judicial processing.

The statement said it has been decided that all death penalty cases pending up to January 2026 will be taken up and decided on a priority basis.

The Chief Justice has also issued directives to streamline and expedite jail petitions related to undertrial prisoners, aiming to improve access to justice and reduce prolonged detention.

Officials said the measures are part of broader institutional reforms to ensure timely adjudication and strengthen public confidence in the judicial system.