Pending criminal cases to be reduced to zero soon: CJP Khosa

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Justice Asif Saeed Khosa has said that pending criminal cases in the Supreme Court were being speedily disposed of, and very soon the number would come down to zero, ARY News reported on Monday.

The Supreme Court was hearing a murder case against Zafar Iqbal, who was accused of killing a man named Ghulam Qasir in Muzaffar Garh.

Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa remarked that the testimonies of witnesses produced before the court by the prosecution were not admissible and that the prosecution had failed to establish the crime.

CJP Khosa, who is known for his strong opposition to fake testimonies, said during the hearing that the ‘model courts’ had started working throughout the country from this day which would conduct trials on a daily basis.

“There will be a time soon when the cabinets will have no more files of pending criminal petitions”, he said.

CJP Khosa took a strong exception against forged testimonies and fake witnesses, saying that the courts would punish everyone who is found to be lying before the court.

“It was always [wrongly] said that courts free the criminals, but we will not spare even the witnesses when they lie until the menace of fake testimonies is rooted out”, he remarked.

Consequently, the court ordered Iqbal’s release after acquitting him of all charges.