Punjab Prosecutor Office has invited the 17th meeting of the Pakistan Prosecutor’s Forum (PPF) to be held in Lahore between 2-3 May 2024. This high-level meeting sponsored by the U.S. Embassy office of Law Enforcement (INL) and facilitated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is an important step in advancing legal and policy reforms in the criminal justice system in Pakistan. System. Attorneys general and criminal justice partners from Punjab and other provinces of Pakistan plan to promote legal reforms by sharing their experiences and discussing solutions to the challenges they face.
The conference was graced by Justice (R) Khalil Ur Rehman Ramday as the chief guest. In his opening speech, he welcomed the establishment of the site and said I am proud to lead the Pakistan Prosecution Service, which plays an important role in shaping the legal structure of our country. We will continue our journey towards justice and security together. When it comes to rule of law in the state we demand justice for our people from among them.
PPF is the largest national association that forms the leadership of all prosecutorial services. It consists of representatives from all provinces and the Ministry of Justice who are united in their efforts to reform the Prosecution Service in order to improve the criminal justice system. UNODC is helping the forum develop and strengthen its role. The provincial PPF operates on a rotating basis and each province holds quarterly meetings. Minister of Public Prosecutions Usman Anwar said The Pakistan Prosecution Forum is a great opportunity for us to learn and share best practices. I hope that this forum will help us improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the investigation system.
The 17th meeting of the forum also highlighted the activities of the Punjab Prosecutor’s Office, including strengthening the capacity of the Punjab Prosecutor’s Office, reforming police training and improving case management, and a project to harmonize prison management. These projects are supported by the US Embassy Counter-Narcotics and Law Enforcement Division (INL) and implemented by the UNODC Country Office in close collaboration with
partners in Punjab. Arsalan Malik, UNODC Criminal Justice and Law Reform Adviser said UNODC is proud to support the Prosecution Service of Pakistan. We are committed to working with the Government of Pakistan to strengthen the Prosecution Service.
PPF’s achievements include an agreement to amend the CRPC the Code of Conduct for Prosecutors in Balochistan, and the review and feedback of amendments to the Balochistan Prosecution Act. These efforts have significantly reduced the number of prisoners on trial by promoting fair investigations and trials.
Issues such as equality prosecutors job descriptions standards recruitment skill development and training needs assessment were discussed.
Sub Editor: Rizwan