Rule of law

Confidence in and obedience to the law

Indicators

The rule of law indicator measures the extent to which people have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, in particular the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts, and the likelihood of crime and violence.

What it measures

Enforcement of contracts and protection of property rights.
Quality and independence of courts.
Effectiveness and honesty of the police.
Levels of crime and violence.

Application in Pakistan

Over two million cases pending in courts across Pakistan, causing long delays.
Weak investigation, prosecution and low conviction rates.
Police politicization and colonial-era laws (the Police Act 1861 was replaced by the Police Order 2002, but implementation has been uneven across provinces).
Land disputes and weak property records, although land record digitization in Punjab and elsewhere has helped.
Positive steps: alternative dispute resolution, model courts, e-courts and the Federal Constitutional Court and constitutional benches created by recent amendments to manage constitutional cases.

Way forward

Police reform and depoliticization.
More judges, case management and technology.
Strengthen prosecution and forensic capacity.
Legal aid and simplified procedures.

Note

Pakistan's figures here are approximate recent ranges; check the latest annual release of the Worldwide Governance Indicators for exact values.