Rule of Law is an Important Component of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Dear friends,

After the passage of seven decades, Pakistan is still considered one of those countries where Rule of Law is but a far cry. This requires that awareness, sensitization, and advocacy regarding the importance of Rule of Law be prioritized that would provide a measure to assess the state of the rule of law in Pakistan. As the concept of rule of law implies that whatever laws exist in a county all of them must be enforced without any exception and no exemption be granted to anyone. The institute proudly produced a report on the State of the Rule of Law in Pakistan 2019. The data used in the report covers the period from 2017-2019. This Report bases itself on the same principle. However, limiting itself to the Fundamental Rights - of the Constitution, it aims at providing a practical measure of the security of fundamental rights ensured to the citizens in the constitution of the country. For this, it will focus only on the State of the Security of Person and Property and Security of the Fundamental Rights to all the citizens in Pakistan. The absence of the rule of law is conspicuous in Pakistan by many an indicator. This Report provides indicators by using various national and international reports and indices focusing on the issues related to the value of the rule of law. On top of the list is internationally acclaimed “World Justice Project Rule of Law Index.” Other Indices that contain a component of measuring and scoring the rule of law are Fraser Institute’s The Human Freedom Index, Human Rights Watch Report. Additionally, other reports dealing with economic freedom and economic stability have also been taken into account since they do consider the rule of law as a measure that ensures the same. For example, reports issued by the following entities: The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom, Millennium Challenge Corporation, Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World Annual Report. The study findings reveal that the rule of law situation is in abysmal state. Both private property rights and property protection are in peril, there is an absolutely depressing state of provision of justice in Pakistan. The report mentions that 38061 cases are pending in the Supreme Court, 345004 in different courts, and 1.4 million cases in district judiciary; in total 1.78 million cases are pending in different courts of the country. Besides, road accidents are extraordinarily high in the country; different reports show 15-160000 people die each year in road accidents. The report shows Pakistan is top in Asia with highest number of road accidents and 48th in the world in deaths caused by traffic accidents.

The situation demands that the goal to establish rule of law in the country ensuring the protection of every citizens’ life, property, fundamental rights, and justice must be the one-point agenda of the government, state institutions, and public at large. The report implies that poverty and many socioeconomic miseries have been caused by the absence of the rule of law. Therefore, for an economic prosperous society, and vibrant economy it is important to improve the state of the rule of law in the country.