Justice within reach
A very insightful article Justice within reach was written by Rabiya Javeri Agha, the chairperson of the National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) in Dawn on 16 April 2025. Some of the highlights of the article call for serious introspection by both the practitioners and policy planners related with the Criminal Justice System of Pakistan.
The 2-day event titled ‘From Promise to Action: Advancing SDG 16 for Justice and Reform’ was hosted in Islamabad by NCHR in collaboration with the UNDP. A blunt question was asked: how can we build a justice system that works for all Pakistanis, not only the connected, not only the wealthy, not only the men? Pakistan’s legal and judicial system has been held hostage by archaic laws, procedural absurdities, and deep structural neglect, rendering justice both elusive and exhausting.
Hard truths were spoken. The exclusionary nature of the legal system, especially for women, religious minorities, the working class, and anyone without institutional backing, was recorded. The criminalisation of poverty through laws inherited from colonial era which saw the poor as a threat to be managed, not as equal citizens to be served, The rampant overuse of incarceration and the disregard for rehabilitation was identified as a major malaise in the present CJS.
An outline of an improved architecture of administration of justice emerged: rethinking policing, replacing violent, extractive models with people-centric frameworks grounded in rights and accountability. There were recommendations for strengthening oversight bodies, overhauling training protocols, and creating space for community participation. Judicial reform measures were also suggested.
Ms Agha correctly points out that “Justice in Pakistan has long been portrayed as a lofty abstraction; distant, delayed, denied.” She has posed a crucial question: “Whether we will stay the course – collectively, consistently, and with the courage to see it through?”
Yes, we can. All the stakeholders, including the civil society have to forge a common and concerted strategy to deal with organized crime in Pakistan and to bring meaningful reforms in the Criminal Justice System.
Tariq Khosa
Director CGR
16 April 2025