Criminal Procedure Code: Law, Delay, and the Search for Justice
In Pakistan, justice does not begin in the courtroom. It begins much earlier — at the moment of arrest, in the filing of an FIR, and in the slow movement of a case through the system. At the centre of this entire process lies the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), a law that quietly controls how justice is carried out. For most people, the CrPC is an unfamiliar name. Yet, its impact is deeply personal. It decides how a person is arrested, how long they may remain in custody, and how their case will be heard. In many ways, it is not just a legal document but a framework that shapes the everyday reality of justice. The Code itself is not new. It dates back to colonial times, and even today, much of its structure reflects that past. It was designed to maintain order, sometimes at the cost of individual freedom. While the law has been adapted over time, its spirit still raises an important question: does it fully serve the needs of a modern, democratic society? On paper, the CrPC appears bala...