Flaws in Investigation and Prosecution: A Case Study of District Malir Karachi

Abstract

Pakistan's criminal justice system has serious built-in flaws, which are particularly noticeable in the investigation and prosecution stages. The breakdowns of the system in Malir Karachi District even worsen the situation, resulting in low conviction rates and diminished overall public trust in the justice system. This research explores the main obstacles encountered by the prosecutors of Malir and the how the poor quality of police investigations, the late submission of investigation documents, unprotected witnesses, and un-cooperating police and prosecutors are responsible for these issues. The findings of the study further confirm that there is an undeniable correlation between the phenomena of interest, which lies between the judicial process and struggling to achieve the elusive notion of dispensing justice in an effective and efficient manner. Based on conversations with local area prosecutors, this paper attempts to offer practical ways to change the unjust and inefficient processes within the criminal justice system.