Ten months after Pakistan established its Federal Constitutional Court, the combined backlog at the country’s two highest courts remains close to the level recorded before the structural reform.
Before the new court began operating, 56,608 cases were pending at the Supreme Court. More than 22,000 were transferred to the Federal Constitutional Court. Current figures cited by The Express Tribune put combined outstanding matters at 56,058.
The reform was promoted partly as a means of relieving pressure on the Supreme Court and accelerating constitutional adjudication.
Legal commentators now argue that simply dividing jurisdiction and increasing judicial resources cannot, by itself, cure systemic delay.
The experience is relevant well beyond Pakistan. Court congestion is often caused by interacting problems involving procedure, case management, adjournments, vacancies, litigation culture and administrative capacity.
Judicial reform therefore succeeds not merely when new institutions are established, but when measurable improvements follow in the speed, consistency and accessibility of justice.
READ MORE: The Express Tribune
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