KARACHI:
Adherence to the rule of law is a form of loyalty to the state and defying the rule of law is always fraught with consequences that are detrimental to society. It is impossible to establish a peaceful society if people therein do not adhere to the rule of law.
Besides individuals, it is also the duty of judicial institutions to decide and dispose of the matter in accordance with the law irrespective of the standing status of parties. Otherwise, there is a rift between the powerful and the weak because of disparities and double standards. In our justice system, powerful people are often set free even after committing heinous crimes, and poor people are persecuted for years on account of petty crimes. These factors encourage the offenders that they are above the law and cause them to take the law into their hands.
At the same time, the dysfunctional justice system shackles the trust of victims and forces them to make their own routes. This distrust of commoners on the justice system is one of the main causes that people less adhere to the rule of law. Therefore, it is extremely important to deliver justice even-handedly to all segments of society to encourage adherence to the rule of law.
Aamir Ali Channar
Hyderabad
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2021.
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