ubordinate courts in the Punjab face a shortfall of judicial officers and a worsening backlog of cases. The Lahore High Court recently recorded more than 750 vacancies in district courts. A formal audit from October 2024 had found over 1.4 million cases pending in the province’s district judiciary—1.19 million civil court cases and 217,000 sessions court matters.

The clearly discernable backlog—which aligns closely with national patterns—is not irreparable. The Law and Justice Commission’s bi-annual report for July-December 2023 found 2.26 million cases pending nationwide, of which 82 percent (almost 1.86 million) were at the district level. Punjab’s share corresponds roughly to that trend, suggesting that while pressure points are local, the roots are systemic.

Recruitment reforms in the Punjab—such as the LHC’s 2024 decision to simplify examination syllabi for civil and session judges—acknowledge the need to retain steady inflows of new judicial officers. Over time, these changes should alleviate strain on cause lists, reduce adjournments and improve access to prompt hearings, especially in tehsil-level courts.

Talking to The News on Sunday, Hafizabad District Bar Association president Chaudhry Usman Afzal Chattha said that a single civil judge often handles more than 100 complaints in a day. “The daily........

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