Reforming Prosecutorial & Judicial Interactions In Pakistan: A Study of Institutional Performance, Accountability & Public Trust

Abstract

The prosecution and the judiciary have a critical role in the criminal justice system in Pakistan. The two institutions have poor coordination, even though the constitution has safeguarded the independence of the judiciary, and their recent reforms have been geared towards enhancing the prosecutorial services. The gaps and their involvement with politics create inefficiencies that affect the fairness and effectiveness of trials. The research conducts a thorough review of legal frameworks, academic publications, and policy documents to evaluate the effects of the prosecution-judiciary interaction on conviction rates, trial delays, and public trust. The findings indicate that prosecutors are often unprepared and absent during the pre-trial phase, which leads to several adjournments and poor evidence. Overworked judges also fail to get the support during the procedure to make adjudication effective. Among the suggestions that are made by the study are increased autonomy of prosecutors, joint case-management systems, and adoption of performance-based accountability to enhance the outcomes of justice in Pakistan.