Laxity in law

Judging from the maxim that justice delayed is justice denied, Pakistani law enforcement and its judicial system fail to uphold the very principle of jurisprudence. The year-old case of Mustafa Amir's murder at the hands of his friends, Armaghan Qureshi and Shavez Bukhari, is sufficient proof of the system's easy-going attitude that allows hardened criminals to flourish. When the logistics of a case of such severity — involving kidnapping, murder and arson — can be dragged for at least a year before a trial even commences, what hope is there for the victims of minor crimes who dare demand justice?

The blatant laxity in dealing with criminal behaviour is unfortunately present at every step of the procedure. The Counter-Terrorism Department and the FIA's six-month-long investigation is the first cause for concern. But even more concerning is the anti-terrorism court taking another six months simply to frame charges against the accused. For a court that has been established particularly for its "speedy trial(s) of heinous offences", its performance announces loud and clear that no crime is apparently 'heinous' enough in the eyes of the law to deserve immediate attention.

The case of Mustafa Amir brought forth an onslaught of media attention and public vitriol against the criminals. But a movement that was meant to pressurise law enforcement to prioritise the case was merely treated by the police as a storm that would soon pass. Such is the attitude of all contributing members of our justice system from top to bottom. That is the reason Pakistan has over 2.25 million cases pending in courts, and their prolongation is why civilians lose all hope in getting to see crime punished. All criminal complaints must be treated with the intensity they deserve if we ever want to imagine an egalitarian future for our society.