Pakistan Prosecution Forum continues to advance the role of prosecution across Pakistan

6 June 2024, Islamabad - The Pakistan Prosecution Forum (PPF) is an important national platform comprising representatives from all provinces and the federal law department. Led by the provincial prosecution departments, they come together to advocate for prosecution reforms to improve criminal justice service delivery to the public. The UNODC provides invaluable technical and strategic leadership to augment the forum's efficacy. The provincial chapters of the PPF alternate in hosting quarterly meetings, ensuring a collaborative and comprehensive approach to justice reform.

The 18th meeting of the Pakistan Prosecution Forum was held on 4–5 June 2024, in Swat, hosted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with generous funding from the U.S. Embassy's Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). The forum convened senior leaders from the provincial prosecution departments, including Prosecutor General ICT Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Nihung, Director General Prosecution Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ms. Rubin Haider Bukhari, Prosecutor General Balochistan Mr. Jahanzaib Nasir, Director Centre for Professional Development (CPD) Punjab Mr. Muhammad Jahangir, Deputy Prosecutor General Sindh Mr. Muhammad Ali Noonari alongside other key stakeholders. The Pakistan Prosecution Forum continues to play a crucial role in strengthening the prosecution's position within Pakistan's Criminal Justice System.

The proceedings of the 18th PPF built on the momentum of the previous meetings, highlighting the necessity for the adoption of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by the provincial prosecution departments. It was unanimously agreed that the KPIs are crucial for streamlining the prosecution process, from investigation legal analysis and decision-making, ensuring integrity. The Forum also held discussions on gender sensitivity, job descriptions for prosecutors, performance indicators, the recruitment syllabus, skill set enhancement, and training needs assessment.

The PPF's achievements include an agreement on CrPC revisions, a Code of Conduct for Balochistan prosecutors, and a review and suggestions for amendments to the Balochistan Prosecution Service Act. These efforts have greatly reduced under-trial detainees by promoting fair investigations and trials.

Senior officials from prosecution and criminal justice stakeholders from Punjab and other provinces across Pakistan deliberated to advance critical rule of law reforms by sharing experiences and discussing solutions for the common challenges they face.

Mr. Syed Waqas Shah, Coordinator for Criminal Justice and Rule of Law from UNODC, outlined the agenda and objectives, praising the pioneering role of the PPF. He noted that the forum is increasingly effective in driving policy reforms aimed at improving the performance of provincial prosecution departments.

The PPF concluded by mutually agreeing to implement a comprehensive monitoring framework, guided by pertinent KPIs. This initiative aligns with UNODC’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan's criminal justice institutions and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 17, Partnerships for the Goals. Through successful collaboration, we aim to ensure the provision of equitable justice while operating with the utmost diligence in the public's interest.

The 18th PPF was funded by the U.S. Embassy's Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) as part of Pakistan's Terrorism Prevention Programme (PTP2).

 

 

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