Justice imperilled |
THE Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the International Federation for Human Rights have raised concerns about Pakistan’s justice system. Their report argues that corruption is no longer limited to a few dishonest officials but has become part of the way the system works, weakening the courts’ independence and denying people equal access to justice. Based on interviews with lawyers, former judges, journalists and civil society representatives, it describes problems at every stage of the legal process. Bribes are allegedly demanded to register police cases, move investigations, obtain court documents and bring hearings forward. Huge case backlogs and........