ISLAMABAD: Some 20,000 criminal cases are lying pending in different courts owing to the acute shortage of staff in the prosecution branch of Islamabad Police. Due to scarcity of well trained staff in the prosecution branch, DSP legal Azhar Hussain Shah has forwarded a summary to induct 20 Prosecuting Sub Inspector s and 20 Inspectors (Legal) but the ministry has approved the appointment of just 12 Prosecuting Sub Inspectors(PSI). The sources said that at present there is only one DSP, five inspectors, and two sub Inspectors are working in the already over burdened prosecution branch. On the other hand with the passage of time, the number of courts in the federal capital has increased and at present there are 62 courts working in Islamabad and out of these 15 courts are dealing with criminal cases. The sources said that if the Judicial Policy 2009 was implemented in its true letter and spirit then the rate of disposing of the criminal cases would have been improved. The sources said that those one dozen PSI, after appointment would get a training of two years and would be able to work in the prosecution branch . When contacted DSP (Legal) Azhar Shah, he confirmed the approval of appointment of 12 prosecution sub inspectors by the interior ministry. “We are running the affairs with a very small staff for the last seven years. The current staff in the most important branch of Islamabad Police is very meagre according to the prevailing situation as in the past the population and number of courts were very less in the federal capital Islamabad. But now the figure of reported crime in the police stations had enhanced manifold. So we require experienced staff in a suitable quantity”, he added.