Pakistan’s Judicial System: Justice or Prolonged Punishment ?
Pakistan’s Judicial System: Justice or Prolonged Punishment? Introduction: The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees every citizen the right to a fair trial under Article 10-A, yet the judicial system is far removed from these ideals. Delays in justice, endless appeals, and decades-long litigation have transformed the courts from institutions of justice into instruments of cruelty. Rather than providing relief, the system often punishes the accused and their families long before any verdict is reached. Judicial Delays: A Punishment Worse Than the Verdict As the famous saying goes, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” In Pakistan, murder trials and death penalty cases often drag on for 20 to 25 years, during which the accused remains behind bars, effectively serving a life sentence even before being found guilty. By the time a final decision arrives, the accused is either dead, aged, or psychologically destroyed. Shocking Example: Acquitted After 20 Years, Hanged 5 Years Ago In a wide...