The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has highlighted the issue of systemic judicial corruption in Pakistan, warning that it could amount to grand corruption. According to a report titled ‘Under the Bench: Mapping Corruption Risks in Pakistan’s Justice System,’ the FIDH expressed concerns that the country’s justice system is increasingly susceptible to political influence and institutional capture, as reported by local media. The report emphasized that judicial corruption in Pakistan poses serious human rights implications, such as violations of due process and equality before the law, particularly impacting low-income communities and minorities.
The FIDH’s executive summary pointed out that Pakistan’s democratic institutions, including the judiciary, have faced growing pressure in recent years, leading to their gradual weakening and capture by the executive branch. The report highlighted that this situation has resulted in severe repression of fundamental freedoms, supported by repressive legislation and significant human rights violations. In this context, the judiciary has been identified as a tool for suppressing activists and dissidents, the report stated.
Based on interviews with 30 individuals familiar with Pakistan’s justice system, the report revealed that the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments have negatively affected judicial independence and the protection of fair trial rights in Pakistan. The amendments were described as marking a “regressive shift” in the country’s legal and constitutional framework by diminishing the limited independence previously enjoyed by the judiciary. The report also pointed out that political influence now plays a role in judicial appointments, bench formation, and high-level case management, contradicting international standards for judicial independence.
The report further highlighted that corruption has become widespread within Pakistan’s judicial system, eroding the independence and efficacy of the judiciary in upholding fair trial rights and safeguarding fundamental freedoms. It identified three key factors contributing to corruption in the system: weak administration of justice at all levels leading to bribery and corrupt practices, cultural norms promoting favoritism and nepotism, and the erosion of judicial independence, resulting in what the report termed as state capture of the superior judiciary. Additionally, the report noted that accountability institutions have increasingly been politicized and used for political victimization instead of addressing systemic corruption.
