UNODC and the US Embassy join forces with the Pakistan Prosecution Forum for Justice Reform

Islamabad. (Parliamentary times):The Punjab Public Prosecution Service has convened the 17th meeting of the Pakistan Prosecution Forum (PPF) from May 2 to 3, 2024 in Lahore. This high-level meeting, funded by the U.S. Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and facilitated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is a critical step toward advancing legislative and policy reforms in Pakistan’s criminal justice system. system. Senior officials from the Public Prosecution Service and criminal justice stakeholders from Punjab and other provinces across Pakistan deliberated on advancing critical rule of law reforms by exchanging experiences and discussing solutions to the common challenges they face.

According to the press note, the forum was graced by the Honorable Justice (R) Khalil Ur Rehman Ramday, as the Chief Guest, who in her inaugural address welcomed this established platform and stated: “I am honored to chair the Pakistan Prosecution Forum. , which plays a crucial role in shaping the legal landscape of our country. Together we will continue our journey towards a fairer and more just justice system, inclusive of the gender-specific needs of our communities.” The Honorable Judge further informed that the Government of Punjab is committed to reforming the current criminal justice system for our posterity while ensuring the “rule of law” in the province.

The PPF is a prominent national forum made up of the leadership of each provincial prosecutor’s office. It has representatives from all provinces and the Federal Legal Department, who come together to advocate for essential prosecutorial reforms to improve the delivery of criminal justice services to the public. The UNODC helps the forum to improve and strengthen its strategic role. The provincial PPF chapters rotate, with each province hosting quarterly meetings.

Prosecution Minister Usman Anwar emphasized: “The Pakistan Prosecution Forum is a valuable opportunity for us to learn from each other and exchange best practices. I am confident that this forum will help us improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the prosecution system.”

The 17th meeting of the forum also highlighted the flagship interventions of the Punjab Public Prosecution Service, including the Prosecution Capacity Building Project in Punjab, Modernization of Police Training and Integration of Case Flow Management System and Information System for prison management. These projects are graciously funded by the US Embassy’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and are being implemented by the UNODC Country Office in close coordination with Punjab stakeholders. UNODC Advisor on the Criminal Justice System and Legal Reforms Arsalan Malik said: “UNODC is proud to support the Pakistan Prosecution Forum. We are committed to working with the government of Pakistan to strengthen the overall prosecution system.”

The PPF’s achievements include an agreement on revisions to the CrPC, a code of conduct for prosecutors in Balochistan, and a review and suggestions for changes in the Public Prosecution Act in Balochistan. These efforts have dramatically reduced the number of inmates remaining in prison by promoting fair investigations and trials.

The Forum held discussions on gender sensitivity, job descriptions for prosecutors, performance indicators, recruitment syllabus, improving skills and assessing training needs.