In response to a proposal for round-the-clock court sessions in Punjab, 768 judges have agreed, while 979 have declined, highlighting a divided stance within the judiciary.
The initiative, suggested by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, aims to reduce the backlog of over 1.4 million pending cases by implementing double shifts in subordinate courts. Following this proposal, Punjab’s Director General of District Judiciary instructed all session judges to submit their responses.
Punjab’s subordinate judiciary consists of 1,747 judges, including 152 district and session judges, 504 additional district and session judges, 110 senior civil judges, and 981 civil judges. Despite this, over 700 judicial positions remain vacant, adding to the system’s burden.
With 44% of judges supporting the extended hours and 56% opposing, the matter remains under review. The final decision will be taken after consultations with bar associations and other stakeholders.
