District courts of Pakistan

The district courts of Pakistan are courts that operate at the district level, they are controlled by the high courts.

Pakistan
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Pakistan
Constitution Previous constitutions:1956 1962 1973 Annex (written 1949, incorporated 1985) Amendments Law
Government President (list): Arif Alvi Parliament Senate Chairman: Sadiq Sanjrani Deputy Chairman: Saleem Mandviwalla National Assembly Speaker: Asad Qaiser Deputy Speaker: Qasim Suri Executive: Prime Minister (list): Imran Khan Federal Cabinet Federal Agencies Civil Service Judiciary Supreme Judicial Council Supreme Court Chief Justice Federal Shariat Court Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Justices Islamabad High Court Provincial High Courts Chief Court Gilgit-Baltistan District Courts
Elections Election Commission Electoral College Recent elections Presidential: 2008 2013 2018 General: 2008 2013 2018 Political parties Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan Muslim League (N) Pakistan Peoples Party
Administrative units Provinces Balochistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Punjab Sindh Territories Islamabad Autonomous region Azad Kashmir Gilgit–Baltistan
Federalism Azad Kashmir government President Prime Minister Legislative Assembly Provincial governments Governors Chief Ministers Provincial Assemblies Local government Divisions Districts Tehsils Union councils
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Shah Mehmood Qureshi Diplomatic missions of / in Pakistan Passport Visa requirements Visa policy China India United States Kashmir conflict
Pakistan portal Other countries

District courts exist in every district of each province, with civil and criminal jurisdiction. In each district headquarters, there are numerous additional district and session judges who usually preside the courts. District and sessions judges have executive and judicial power all over the district under his jurisdiction. Session court is also a trial court for heinous offences such as murder, rape (Zina), Haraba offences (armed robbery where specific amount of gold and cash is involved), it is also appellate court for summary conviction offences and civil suits of lesser value. Each town and city now has a court of additional district and sessions judge, which possesses the equal authority over, under its jurisdiction. When it is hearing criminal cases it is called sessions court and when it is hearing civil cases it becomes district court. Executive matters are brought before the relevant district and sessions judge.

• The high court of each province has appellate jurisdiction over the lower courts.
• The Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes between and among provincial governments, and appellate jurisdiction over high court decisions.