THIS is with reference to the recent report ‘Pakistan third-worst country for law and order, security: World Justice Project’ (Oct 26), according to which, the 2024 World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index has placed Pakistan at the 129th spot on a list of 142 countries, marking a minor improvement from the 130th in 2023.

While this slight rise suggests some positive steps, it does highlight the deep-rooted issues hindering the rule of law in Pakistan. In terms of law and order and security, Pakistan ranks 140th globally and fifth in South Asia, signalling severe challenges.

High crime rates, unresolved conflicts, and civil violence undermine public safety and community trust, demanding stronger law enforcement and judicial support.

In terms of civil and criminal justice, the country has been ranked 128th and 98th, respectively, revealing longstan-ding issues, like prolonged detentions, lack of fair trials, and corruption within the justice system.

Despite marginal improvements, Pakistan’s regional position remains weak, illustrating the need for systemic judicial reforms. Corruption also deeply impacts governance, with Pakistan ranking 124th in the absence of corruption category. The pervasiveness of bribery as well as favouritism erodes accountability and discourages public trust in legal processes. This systemic issue hampers reforms, as institutional corruption weakens trans- parency and impedes governance at every level.

Pakistan’s rule of law score is fifth out of six South Asian nations, reflecting severe institutional vulnerabilities. The disparity in access to justice between urban and rural areas creates a divided legal system, where marginalised comm-unities face significant barriers to having their grievances heard.

Pakistan must undertake robust reforms to achieve meaningful gains. Political engineering must not interfere with judicial and legislative independence, and all institutions should adhere rather strictly to constitutional boundaries to foster democracy and accountability.

The path forward calls for Pakistan to address corruption, reinforce judicial independence, and ensure human rights protections. Only with these concerted actions can Pakistan aspire not only to improve its global rankings, but also build public confidence with respect to governance and the delivery of justice.

Zuhaib Odho
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024