The Rule of Law in Pakistan

The Rule of Law in Pakistan the voices of over 4,000 people in Pakistan and their experiences with the rule of law in their country. View the report.

The Rule of Law in Pakistan: Key Findings from the 2017 Extended General Population Poll & Justice Sector Survey presents select findings from two World Justice Project surveys conducted in five urban areas in Pakistan between August and December 2017.

The General Population Poll was conducted through face-to-face interviews in 2,010 households distributed proportionally across the five urban areas of Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta. This poll was designed for the WJP Rule of Law Index® to capture data on the experiences and perceptions of ordinary citizens on various themes related to government accountability, bribery and corruption, crime, and access to justice.

In order to explore justice issues in greater depth, the WJP also conducted a separate Justice Sector Survey of 2,010 households using the same methodology. This survey compiles respondents' views and experiences related to dispute resolution, legal awareness, legal identity, household dynamics, and gender issues.

Whereas the WJP’s flagship Rule of Law Index® offers aggregate rule of law scores, this report presents disaggregated question-level data as 12 thematic briefs to highlight different facets of the rule of law as it is experienced by the population in Pakistan. These briefs touch upon issues of accountability, corruption, fundamental freedoms, criminal justice, and civil justice, as well as views on women, internally displaced people, and refugees. Together, these briefs give an overview of rule of law and the justice system in Pakistan and can be used to better understand the state of the country as it is manifested in the day-to-day lives of its citizens.