At the close of the autumn 2022 Session of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, data about the disposal of cases as against fresh institution in the current calendar year 2022 (till 16.12.2022) showed a reduction in the number of pending cases by a figure of 2,653.
A reduction in the pendency has taken place for the first time in the year 2022 after the computerization of Supreme Court records was started in the year 2013, said a press release.
It is noteworthy that since February 2022 the court has been working at less than full strength.
This data is based on figures pertaining to petitions and appeals and excludes miscellaneous cases arising in the said matters. A chart reflecting the comparative data since 2013 for institution and disposal of cases and its impact on the pendency of cases (difference) is reproduced below:
| Year | Cases Instituted | Cases Disposed | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 12,223 | 9,060 | +3,163 |
| 2014 | 12,677 | 12,614 | +1,063 |
| 2015 | 15,544 | 12,277 | +4,367 |
| 2016 | 18,849 | 14,638 | +4,211 |
| 2017 | 19,469 | 13,946 | +5,623 |
| 2018 | 19,390 | 16,961 | +2,429 |
| 2019 | 20,313 | 15,533 | +4,780 |
| 2020 | 16,860 | 13,030 | +3,830 |
| 2021 | 20,541 | 13,280 | +7,261 |
| 2022 | 17,379 | 20,032 | -2,653 |
After a pileup in cases for many years, 2022 is the first time since atleast 2013 that more cases have been disposed than instituted.
