PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has formally requested the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to allocate at least 10% of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) budget towards the improvement of judicial infrastructure across the province, including the merged districts. This demand was conveyed through an official letter sent to the Chief Secretary of KP, following directives from the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court.
According to official documents, the province is facing a critical shortage of judicial infrastructure, which is severely hampering the timely delivery of justice. Ongoing development projects have stalled due to insufficient funding, leaving many areas without adequate courtrooms, chambers, and other legal facilities.
The court revealed that during the previous fiscal year, only Rs 7 billion were allocated for judicial projects—just 2.8% of the total development budget. This amount was later further reduced to Rs 6 billion, a move the judiciary has warned could severely damage the efficiency and effectiveness of the legal system.
Some judicial projects launched as early as 2013 remain incomplete due to the chronic lack of funds. These include court buildings, lawyer chambers, and essential courtrooms, particularly in underserved areas and newly merged districts. For the upcoming fiscal year 2025–26, the Peshawar High Court has submitted a formal request for Rs 6.33 billion in development funding to ensure the completion of these long-delayed projects. The court has emphasised that at least 10% of the ADP should be dedicated to the judicial sector to meet the growing demands of the legal system.
Legal experts have expressed concern that without financial reinforcement, the justice system in KP could continue to deteriorate, resulting in further delays and public frustration. The Chief Justice has urged the provincial government to take immediate action to prevent systemic collapse and to ensure that citizens have timely access to justice.
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