LAHORE - As many as 13,35,909 cases are pending in the Lahore High Court and the subordinate courts of the Punjab at the end of 2008. These shocking figures were revealed in a report issued by the LHC about backlog and disposal of cases in the provincial courts. According to the report, the total number of pending cases in LHC touched to 84,709 while 12,51,200 cases were pending in the subordinate courts at the end of 2008. The total number of pending cases in LHC reduced from 85,607 to 84,709 while 74,542 cases were disposed of during the last year and a large number of 78,367 cases were instituted during the year. The report says LHC was left with 24,697 civil cases of all categories, 21,785 criminal cases, 30,828 Constitutional cases pending at the principal seat and the benches on December 31,2008. Whereas the number of pending cases in the Lahore High Court slightly decreased during 2008 there was an increase in pendancy of cases in the subordinate courts. The number of cases pending in the courts of district and sessions judges increased from 88,010 to 99,898, the cases pending in the courts of civil judges and judicial magistrates increased from by 11,067 from 11,07,724 to 11,21,791. The number of cases pending in the banking courts increased from 15,131 to 21,342 but the number of cases pending in the anti-terrorist courts reduced from 542 to 502 during the year. The number of cases pending in the accountability courts, however, reduced from 223 to 203 but the pendancy of cases in drug courts increased from 2,226 to 2,789. The number of pending cases in labour courts increased from 4,399 to 4,675 during the year. Special emphasis was paced on the resolution of disputes through Alternate Dispute Resolution in consonance with the injunctions of the Holy Quran. Family litigation was being given priority for expeditious decisions. Development work and other allied activities did not lag behind. Spacious car parking lots were provided on three sides of the high court. Walkthrough gates were installed at the entry points and blockers at the sensitive points. Filtration plants were also installed at the high court, session courts and the Aiwan-e-Adl. Grades of judicial officers and establishment were revised upwards and judicial allowance was multiplied and conveyance allowance was also sanctioned. As many as 11 judges were elevated to the High Court, 18 additional and district sessions judges were selected and appointed. A cell was established in Protocol Branch to process the pension papers, medical bills and other matters of retired judges and the widows of retired judges. Punjab Judicial Academy was established and started functioning. The office of Additional Advocate General, Punjab, was inaugurated and a complaint cell was established at the high court. As many as 65 construction schemes were completed and work on 95 was in progress. Construction of judicial complex at Multan was approved at a cost of Rs 49 million. An eight-room judicial complex was completed at Murree.