Justice for all

One of the quietest revolutions in Pakistan's justice sector is not happening in a grand courtroom, but on the ground, through a policy designed to place lawyers within reach of those who could never dream of hiring one. The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan has expanded its free legal aid programme to every tier of the judiciary, increasing financial assistance for litigants to Rs50,000.

On paper, it may appear to be a technical measure, a modest sum tucked into the machinery of judicial reforms. In reality, it is a declaration that justice in Pakistan must no longer be the privilege of the wealthy but the right of all citizens. Since 2012, over 7,000 litigants have benefited from Rs115 million disbursed through District Legal Empowerment Committees across the country. Behind these numbers are stories of prisoners forgotten in overcrowded jails, widows unable to contest inheritance disputes and families crippled by legal expenses. For them, Rs50,000 is not just financial aid; it is a bridge between silence and representation.

The strength of this initiative lies in its inclusivity. By ensuring that a farmer in Balochistan, a daily-wage worker in Sindh or a woman battling family disputes in Punjab can stand in court with proper counsel, the commission is translating into practice the global promise of Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. The SDGs remind us that development is hollow if citizens cannot access justice, and they carry the unyielding principle that "no one is left behind". This scheme, in its essence, is Pakistan's attempt to honour that pledge.

For all its promise, the real measure of success is sustainability. Reforms must not be one-off reliefs that fade with time, but enduring structures that continue to serve future generations. Skeptics will argue that Rs50,000 is too little to cover the complexities of litigation. This is a valid concern; a lengthy civil case can consume far more resources. Nevertheless, sustainability begins with first steps, with pilot projects that take root and grow stronger with time. This initiative demonstrates that the judiciary is starting to consider not only immediate relief but also the development of a system where access to justice is consistently funded, fairly distributed, and institutionally protected.

The real challenge now is continuity. Too many reforms in Pakistan blossom under one leader only to wither when the leadership changes. If this programme is to have a lasting impact, it must be institutionalised, expanded and monitored with the same rigour as other long-term development priorities. Sustainable justice requires embedding reforms into the very culture of the courts, not leaving them vulnerable to shifts in leadership. The awareness campaigns in district courts and jails are a start, but a genuine transformation will come when citizens instinctively know that financial barriers will not keep them from their day in court.

What makes this step powerful is not only the relief it brings to thousands of deserving litigants but also the message it carries for the entire justice system: equality before the law cannot be rhetoric; it must be lived reality. By helping the poorest litigants access the same legal tools as the privileged, the programme is restoring a measure of balance in a system long weighed down by inequality.

If reforms such as this are nurtured and expanded with sustainability in mind, they can slowly chip away at the perception of justice as distant, slow and unaffordable. For Pakistan, that would mean not just ticking boxes on an international development agenda but breathing life into the Constitution's most basic promise — that every citizen, regardless of wealth or status, stands equal before the law.