The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday decided to dispose of all pending death penalty appeals within the next 45 days, as part of broader judicial reforms aimed at expediting justice.

The decision was taken at a meeting on judicial reforms chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, where a detailed review of monthly performance under the Reform Action Plan was conducted.

The meeting reviewed death penalty and criminal jail appeals and was informed that since October 26, 2024, a total of 172 new death sentence appeals had been filed, while 449 appeals had been decided during the same period.

Participants were told that at the time Chief Justice Afridi assumed office, 384 death penalty cases were pending. That number has now dropped to 107.

It was decided that all remaining death penalty appeals would be heard and decided within 45 days. Timelines for disposing of life imprisonment appeals will be set after the completion of death penalty cases.

The meeting also decided that jail petitions filed by convicted prisoners aged 80 years or above would be fixed on a priority basis.

Officials informed the meeting that the case categorisation process would be completed within two months, while a barcoding system for tracking case files would be finalised within the next 15 days. The court was also briefed that judicial records had been largely digitised.

Addressing the meeting, the chief justice said timely delivery of justice was not only a constitutional obligation but also a moral responsibility. He said judicial reforms were aimed at ensuring swift and effective justice for the public.