Chief Justice LHC orders for answers on 362,000 dismissed cases in Punjab

LAHORE, Sep 04: Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Justice Ms. Aalia Neelum, has ordered an inquiry into the status of cases dismissed in Punjab based on settlement agreements.
During a bail hearing for the accused Imran, Chief Justice Neelum inquired about the whereabouts of over 362,000 case challans. “Have these challans been swallowed by the earth or devoured by the sky?” she questioned.
In response, Punjab IG Dr. Usman Anwar stated that approximately 150,000 challans have been submitted following the court's orders, while 242,000 challans are still pending. He further revealed that over 11,000 investigating officers have been issued show-cause notices for failing to submit challans. The surge in cases this year, particularly related to electricity theft, has contributed to the backlog, with 80,000 cases registered this year compared to 75,000 last year.
IG Anwar also noted that 59,000 challans are pending in Lahore and 81,000 in Faisalabad, though Lodhra has cleared its backlog.
Prosecutor General Syed Farhad Ali Shah announced the development of a new IT system between prosecution and police. However, Chief Justice Neelum questioned whether the judiciary needed to address this upgrade, emphasizing that it is the responsibility of the Punjab government.
The court has requested detailed reports on dismissed cases based on settlements and has granted IG Punjab additional time to submit the challans. The hearing has been adjourned to a later date.