Around 4,000 terrorism related cases are pending in the country’s 73 Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs), The Express Tribune reported on May 10 quoting Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) data. The ATCs were established under the ATA, 1997 for speedy trial of cases pertaining to terrorism, sectarian and targeted killings, extortion and kidnapping for ransom. An ATC is legally bound to decide a case within seven days after indictment. According to the data available with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), 3,909 cases were pending in 73 ATCs until December 31, 2018 while 2,972 cases were only sub judice in 32 ATCs of Sindh. In Punjab, 1,313 terrorism cases were instituted last year and now the number has decreased to 421. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 634 cases were filed in 13 ATCs and now 159 cases are pending. Likewise, 306 cases are pending in nine ATCs of Balochistan.