PHC Approves Five-year Performance Policy To Clear Backlog

Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday adopted new initiative by devising five years, "Performance & Monitoring Evaluation Policy" (2020-25), to promote transparency and consistency with a view to achieve the target of clearing the backlog and providing expeditious justice to improve the image of the judicial syste

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Sep, 2020 ) :Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday adopted new initiative by devising five years, "Performance & Monitoring Evaluation Policy" (2020-25), to promote transparency and consistency with a view to achieve the target of clearing the backlog and providing expeditious justice to improve the image of the judicial system.

After deliberations with the District Judiciary through Zoom Conferencing and their valuable feedback the policy was approved by the hon'ble Chief Justice and was launched.

The main objective of the policy was sustained clearance of backlog till end of August 2025 for which the Province has been divided into three Zones; A, B & C on the basis of projected and current institution and backlog.

The policy requires gradual reduction of backlog of cases from each zone annually on the ratio of 20, 30 & 100% respectively.

For the first time 220 judicial working days for each Judicial Officer have been worked out with specified required disposal ratio.

The policy has prescribed monitoring of Judicial Officers at three levels.

The targets of each district have been laid down in the policy which will enable each Judicial Officer at the end of month to assess his/her performance at individual level.

The District & Sessions judge, being head of district and a team leader, will monitor the performance of his/her district on monthly basis and the Data Analysis Wing established at the Secretariat of District Judiciary shall keep a track of the performance of each district and every Judicial Officer on quarterly basis.

The policy aims at promoting the culture of meritorious summary adjudication of cases so as to reduce cost of litigation and to improve public confidence in the Institution. It also aims at encouraging scheduling culture in trial cases.

The role of legal fraternity in dispensation of justice cannot be overemphasized, therefore in order to achieve goals prescribed by policy, the District & Sessions Judge shall hold meeting of Bench Bar Liaison Committee on monthly basis instead of holding it quarterly.

Efforts would be made and measures taken to build capacity of judicial officers to exploit strengths, overcome weaknesses, turn the challenges into opportunities and avail the same for better performance.

Earlier, the Peshawar High Court declared 2018-2019 as first Performance year while 2019-20 as Performance year.

During the period, the High Court and the District Judiciary encountered multiple challenges such as Lawyers' strikes, Covid-19, lack of proper infrastructure in NMDs, inadequate human resource, logistic constraints etc. which adversely affected the judicial performance in terms of execution of its business that led to increase in pendency as a whole despite strenuous efforts of Judicial Officers for timely disposal of cases.