Supreme Court to fix civil, criminal cases on 'first come first served' basis

• Pleas filed under Article 184(3) to be fixed after review. 
• Next huddle will be held on January 4, 2024.
• Draft of Procedure Rules to be shared in next meeting. 

ISLAMABAD: A committee of judges formed under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, has decided that the civil and criminal cases will be fixed on a "first come first served" basis, The News reported Monday. 

This was decided in a meeting chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan ( CJP) Qazi Faez Isa. The committee also decided that the petitions filed under Article 184(3) would be fixed in the court after review. 

The next huddle will be held on January 4, 2024. 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court registrar provided a schedule of the judges to be available at Islamabad and branch registries during the winter vacation of 2023, from December 18 to December 29.

In compliance with the directions of the 4th meeting of the committee constituted under Section 2 of the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, the registrar/secretary provided the said schedule of judges who are available at registries during the winter vacations.

According to the availability of judges, the court roaster was approved during the 5th meeting of the committee, comprising CJP Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Ijazul Ahsan. 

According to the court roaster, a three-member bench of the apex court will hear cases at the principal seat, Islamabad, from December 18 (December) to December 22 (Friday).

The bench comprises Justice Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah.

Similarly at Quetta Registry, a two-member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail will hear the cases.

Likewise, at the Karachi Registry, a three-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hassan Rizvi and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan will hear the cases.

Meanwhile, from December 26 (Tuesday) to December 29 (Friday), Justice Masood will do chamber work at the Islamabad Registry while a two-member bench comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and Justice Musarat Hilali will hear cases at the Peshawar Registry.

Similarly, a three-member bench comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi will hear cases at the Karachi Registry.

Likewise, the committee decided that a civil petition for leave to appeal filed in the apex court shall be abbreviated as CPLA and a constitutional petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution shall be abbreviated as CP.

The committee directed the office to designate, assign and abbreviate these matters and also inform the advocates Supreme Court and Advocates on Record (AORs).

The committee also discussed petitions under Article 184(3) of the Constitution and other matters mentioned in the list and decided to be fixed in court.

It was decided that the draft of Procedure Rules will be shared with all the members of the committee for discussion thereon in the next meeting, which will be held on January 4, 2024.