Causes of Delayed Disposal of Heinous Criminal Cases in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

The Punjab criminal justice system in Pakistan is grappling with a deep-seated crisis characterized by the severely delayed disposal of serious and heinous criminal cases. This review specifically examines the systemic delays in prosecuting murder (Section 302 Pakistan penal Code), dacoity (Section 395 Pakistan penal Code), and cases involving serious hurt (Sections 337 A to 337 L Pakistan penal Code). This systematic breakdown, which has led to hundreds of thousands of cases going unheard, not only compromises the principle that justice delayed is justice denied but also destroys public trust in state institutions. This review article synthesizes existing literature to systematically identify the multi-faceted causes and broad-ranging implications of these delays. The analysis reveals that the pathology is systemic throughout the entire justice chain. The consequences are catastrophic and cross-cutting for all stakeholders. The findings conclusively indicate that isolated interventions have proven insufficient. Addressing this crisis demands holistic, system-wide reform.

Keywords: Delayed Justice, Criminal Justice System, Punjab Pakistan, Serious and Heinous Crimes, Case Backlog, Rule of Law, Judicial Reforms, Pre-trial Detention, Access to Justice.