12 June 2024, Quetta – UNODC is working in partnership with the provincial Government of Balochistan to enhance the rule of law reforms across the entire criminal justice system, aiming to deliver fair and equitable justice while upholding citizens’ rights and security. The Government of Balochistan has made significant progress in recent years by implementing evidence-driven and sustainable approaches to these reforms. With technical support from the UNODC and generous funding from the European Union in Pakistan, the 7th Steering Committee on the Rule of Law Roadmap (RoLR) Balochistan was convened on 12 June, 2024, in Quetta. This meeting, held under the EU-funded ‘Deliver Justice Project,’ marked a new phase in strengthening the rule of law through a revised, revalidated, and upgraded Rule of Law Roadmap for Balochistan.
During the meeting, key stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing evidence-based reforms in the rule of law sector to enhance public trust and confidence in law enforcement institutions in Balochistan. In his opening remarks, Mr. Zahid Saleem, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Government of Balochistan, congratulated all partners for their long-standing collaboration with UNODC and other UN agencies, particularly UN Women and UNDP. He praised their institutional support by emphasizing the importance of achieving desired results while aligning ongoing efforts on legislative, police, prison, and women-focused reforms. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of citizen-centered and evidence-based rule of law initiatives.
Dr. Jeremy Milsom, Representative, UNODC Country Office, thanked the Government of Balochistan for their vision and commitment in facilitating the revalidation and approval of the revised roadmap. He also emphasized the need for institutional leadership to embrace evidence-based approaches to improve performance, noting the effectiveness of such methodologies in order to measure institutional performance and implementing robust reforms. Additionally, he expressed his gratitude to the European Union for their continued support in enhancing the rule of law and transforming it into a citizen-friendly, demand-driven system in Balochistan.
The milestones achieved under the roadmap include, but are not limited to, capacity building and the establishment of facilitation centers such as Police Khidmat Marakaz (Police Facilitation Centers), Smart Police Stations, Serious Crime Investigation Wing (SCIW) with gender facilitation desks etc. A whole-of-government approach has been operationalized to ensure coordination and collaboration across criminal justice institutions. Mr. Jeroen Willems, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation in Pakistan stated that the launch of the revalidated Rule of Law Roadmap 2023-2026 was pivotal in advancing justice, peace, and security, particularly for women and girls. He added that this initiative aimed to consolidate progress through a holistic approach for the Government of Balochistan. He also highlighted that data-centric, results-based approaches remain the backbone of the roadmap, serving as a methodology to monitor progress and make timely decisions, while citizen-centric interventions aim to enhance public trust in the justice system.
Mr. Arsalan Malik, Criminal Justice and Reforms Advisor from the UNODC Country Office in Pakistan, presented project updates and the work plan for 2024. He commended the Government of Balochistan’s commitment, as evidenced by the adoption of PC-I and the initiation of the second phase of reforms through the endorsement of the Action Plan 2024–26. He stated that with EU support, the partners are well-positioned to further enhance the capacity of criminal justice actors in Balochistan.
Representatives from the Balochistan Police, Prosecution, Prisons, Levies, and Reclamation and Probation Departments presented their progress against provincial targets under the action plan. They shared the challenges and successes of criminal justice institutions in addressing fundamental issues through sector-wide coordination approach.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Ziaullah Langau, Minister for Home, Government of Balochistan, appreciated the support of the Police, Levies, Prosecution, Probation and Parole, and Prisons for their commendable work in data collection and improving their legal and operational capacities through results-based performance. He said, “It is a journey that we all look forward to as we take the work under the new roadmap to the next level to realize our vision of a people-centered rule of law in Balochistan.”
