What the court said
The Supreme Court of Pakistan said it remained fully functional on Wednesday 22 April 2026 and disposed of a total of 122 cases, despite security-related restrictions and temporary access difficulties in the federal capital. According to an official press release, the court kept working at its Principal Seat in Islamabad and at branch registries across the country.
One bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan sat at the Principal Seat with what the release described as minimal staff arrangements. That bench also heard cases from the Quetta Branch Registry through video-link technology and disposed of eight cases.
At the Peshawar Branch Registry, three benches remained operational and together disposed of 49 cases. Two benches at the Lahore Branch Registry heard matters and disposed of 65 cases.
Why the registries mattered
The release framed the simultaneous sittings, supported by adaptive arrangements and technology-enabled hearings, as a sign of the court’s institutional capacity to keep justice delivery running, maintain judicial efficiency and give litigants access even in difficult conditions.
The reference to access difficulties in the capital follows days of security restrictions around Islamabad’s Red Zone, which has been closed during preparations for and the staging of the US-Iran talks hosted by Pakistan. The court’s statement did not attribute the restrictions to a specific incident, and no reason was given for the temporary access problems beyond the security situation.
What is not yet clear
The release did not name the cases disposed of, list the composition of the Peshawar and Lahore benches, or say how long the video-link and minimal-staff arrangements would remain in place. It also gave no total for cases pending across the registries, so the 122 disposals cannot be read against a backlog figure from the same statement.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of a published official press release carried by the national news agency, not eyewitness reporting. The source was reviewed on 2026-04-22.
- APP — SC remains fully functional, disposes of 122 cases despite access restrictionsPublished 22 April 2026 · Carries the Supreme Court's official press release: the 122 total, the eight cases from the Quetta registry heard by video link by a bench headed by the Chief Justice, 49 cases from three Peshawar benches, and 65 from two Lahore benches, along with the court's statement on continuing work during security-related restrictions in Islamabad.
