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Explore the critical areas where we advocate for justice and reform in the criminal system.
Since its founding in 2009, JPP has worked tirelessly to reduce the scope of capital punishment in Pakistan, defending the most vulnerable prisoners facing the harshest sentences. Following Pakistan's decision to lift its moratorium on executions in December 2014, JPP led nationwide efforts to document, litigate, and challenge the widespread use of capital punishment. Between 2014 and 2019, Pakistan carried out 516 executions, however, sustained engagement around international human rights mechanisms has led to a halt on executions since December 2019.
As of 2024, Pakistan has 3,646 individuals on death row, one of the largest death row populations in the world. Pakistan retains the death penalty for 31 offenses, including many non-lethal crimes that fall short of the "most serious crimes" threshold under international law. Through strategic litigation and policy advocacy, JPP has successfully contributed to reducing the scope of the death penalty: in 2022, for railway sabotage and in 2023, for drug-related offenses.
JPP has provided pro bono legal representation in some of Pakistan's most significant capital cases. In 2021, the Supreme Court's landmark judgment in Safia Bano v. Home Department barred the execution of individuals with severe psychosocial disabilities, stemming from litigation filed by JPP on behalf of death row prisoners Kanizan Bibi, Imdad Ali, and Ghulam Abbas. JPP has also helped secure protections for juvenile offenders, including through the successful commutation of Muhammad Anwar and Muhammad Iqbal's sentence and contributions to the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018.
Mercy petition reform has been a consistent focus of JPP's advocacy. Since 2014, no death row prisoner has received clemency, despite the constitutional power of the President to grant reprieve. JPP has challenged the blanket rejection policy and drafted reforms to the clemency process. JPP continues to advocate for clemency in cases like Abdul Basit, who has remained on death row for over a decade despite being completely paralysed.
JPP's data and policy research have shaped domestic and international advocacy. JPP continues to press for legal protections for persons facing the death penalty and the adoption of a transparent mercy petition procedure—ensuring the death penalty is applied only within the narrowest bounds of international law and that vulnerable defendants are never subjected to its irreversible consequences..
To end the death penalty and promote humane alternatives.
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We advocate for the rights of prisoners suffering from mental health conditions, ensuring they receive the necessary care, treatment, and support within the prison system. Mental health issues among prisoners are often overlooked or misunderstood, leading to inadequate care and worsening conditions.
Our mission is to challenge the stigma and systemic neglect that perpetuate this cycle of suffering. We work to ensure that mental health assessments, therapy, and rehabilitation programs are integrated into the prison system, and that staff are trained to respond with compassion and understanding. By addressing mental health needs at both a policy and individual level, we aim to create a more humane and just system where prisoners with mental health conditions are treated with dignity and provided with the tools for recovery and reintegration.
Our commitment to juvenile justice ensures that children in conflict with the law are treated with dignity and respect. We advocate for policies that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, recognizing the unique needs of young individuals. Children are often more vulnerable to coercion, wrongful convictions, and harsh sentencing due to inadequate legal protections and limited access to competent representation.
We work to strengthen legal safeguards for children by pushing for age-appropriate sentencing, improved access to diversion programs, and alternatives to detention, such as community service and restorative justice practices. Our team provides direct legal representation to juveniles, ensuring their rights are upheld during trial and detention. We also engage with policymakers and child protection authorities to reform juvenile justice laws and improve detention conditions, focusing on education, mental health support, and reintegration into society. By addressing the root causes of juvenile offending and promoting rehabilitative approaches, we aim to create a justice system that nurtures rather than punishes young lives.
Advocating for fair treatment of youth offenders.
Promoting rehabilitation instead of incarceration for minors.
Ensuring access to legal representation for all youth.
We provide crucial legal assistance to individuals who cannot afford representation, ensuring that their fundamental rights are protected and upheld.
Access to legal representation is a cornerstone of a fair and just society, yet many marginalized individuals are left defenseless due to financial barriers and systemic inequalities. Our legal aid program works to bridge this gap by offering pro bono legal services, representation in court, and strategic advocacy aimed at challenging unjust laws and practices.
We focus on cases involving vulnerable populations, including indigent prisoners, victims of wrongful convictions, and individuals facing the death penalty. Beyond individual representation, we also work to strengthen legal protections and influence policy reforms that promote greater access to justice. Through our commitment to legal aid, we empower marginalized communities to navigate the complexities of the legal system, seek redress for injustices, and reclaim their dignity and rights.
Rooted in international human rights law and Pakistan's constitutional obligations, Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) has been a leading voice for the rights of overseas Pakistani prisoners and migrant workers since 2013, combining legal aid, strategic litigation, policy advocacy, international engagement, capacity-building, and public education to address the vulnerabilities faced by Pakistani citizens abroad.
Our work began with the repatriation of 43 Pakistani detainees from Bagram Prison in Afghanistan, setting the precedent for future large-scale interventions. These include the repatriation of 100 prisoners from Sri Lanka and advocacy that contributed to the Saudi–Pakistan Prisoner Transfer Agreement. Through landmark litigation like Asma Shafi v. Federation of Pakistan (2017), we established consular assistance as a legal duty of the State—a precedent cited by UN human rights bodies as an example of good practice.
To support evidence-based reform, JPP launched the Pakistanis Imprisoned Abroad database tracking over 23,000 Pakistani prisoners across 88 countries and published research reports including Caught in a Web (2018) and Through the Cracks (2019). JPP has engaged directly with the United Nations system and was a core partner in the Vital Signs coalition, documenting systemic issues faced by Pakistani migrant workers in the Gulf. In 2024, it co-hosted trainings in Kuala Lumpur focusing on legal assistance for foreign nationals in detention, culminating in a Legal Primer for Malaysian lawyers.
At home, JPP fosters high-level dialogue through annual International Migrants Day consultations, bringing together parliamentarians, ministerial officials, and diplomatic missions, as well as strategic engagements with key stakeholders. We continue to advocate for Pakistanis overseas—whether migrant workers seeking justice, detainees fighting for due process, or returnees navigating reintegration.
Learn MoreJPP leads efforts to address the intersection of drug use, poverty, incarceration, and health inequities in Pakistan. The current punitive drug control framework disproportionately targets low-income individuals, increasing their risk of dependency, exposure to transmissible diseases, and long-term incarceration without access to rehabilitation. Through evidence-based research across provinces, we document how narcotic drug policies contribute to rising imprisonment rates and worsening health conditions in prisons. We advocate for a shift from punitive approaches to a human rights and public health-centered framework, promoting proportional sentencing, alternatives to incarceration, and fair legal representation.
Pakistan's drug control policies remain heavily punitive, contributing to a sharp rise in drug-related incarcerations and exacerbating prison overcrowding. Despite the abolition of the death penalty for drug offenses in 2023, the overall framework remains highly carceral with over 20,000 individuals imprisoned under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act (as of 2024). This approach contradicts the global shift toward human rights-based drug policy and creates a system where individuals, particularly those accused of minor drug offenses, face prolonged detention without being found guilty, while conviction rates continue to fall dramatically.
JPP has led comprehensive reform efforts, integrating research, advocacy, judicial training, and international engagement. We have convened national dialogues, developed datasets on drug-related incarcerations, and created a judicial training course on the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy. We have also facilitated high-level international exchanges of key government officials, helping position Pakistan as an emerging voice for human rights-centered approaches in international policy discussions and creating momentum for aligning domestic practices with global best standards that emphasize rehabilitation and harm reduction.
Challenging punitive drug laws that harm individuals and communities.
Since 2014, we have combined rigorous documentation, legal reform, strategic litigation, public campaigns, and international advocacy to push for accountability and compliance with Pakistan's obligations under the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), which it ratified in 2010.
In 2014, JPP partnered with Yale Law School to conduct a groundbreaking medico-legal review of police torture in Faisalabad and found evidence of physical abuse in 76% of examined cases, exposed the systematic nature of torture in custody. Following nearly a decade of persistent advocacy, this work contributed to the passage of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act in November 2022—a landmark law that criminalizes torture, custodial death, custodial rape, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment while making evidence obtained through torture inadmissible in court.
While the Act represents significant progress, implementation remains challenging. Our monitoring has identified key gaps in both the law and its enforcement—from definitional limitations to procedural barriers. Through engagement with international mechanisms including the EU's GSP+ framework and UN treaty bodies, we continue to advocate for stronger accountability measures and comprehensive implementation.
JPP leads public awareness campaigns and stakeholder capacity building to address these gaps, including the "Voices Against Torture" campaign featuring artistic expressions exploring themes of torture, impunity, and dignity. We consistently engage with national human rights commissions, judges, prosecutors, and police through trainings and legal tools, while advocating for full implementation of the law across Pakistan's provinces. Our work remains rooted in the belief that all persons deserve to be free from cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, regardless of their status or background.
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Women in the criminal justice system face unique challenges that often go unaddressed, from inadequate healthcare and lack of access to sanitary products to the absence of childcare facilities and protection from abuse. Many women in prison are also survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and poverty, with these underlying issues often contributing to their incarceration. Despite these complex circumstances, prison policies in Pakistan remain largely male-focused, failing to accommodate the specific physical and emotional needs of women.
Our advocacy focuses on creating gender-responsive policies that recognize and address these distinct challenges. We work to improve access to healthcare, including mental health services and reproductive care, and push for the introduction of mother-and-child units in prisons to ensure that incarcerated mothers can maintain bonds with their children. Our team also provides legal representation to women facing gender-based discrimination within the justice system and works to secure the release of women unjustly imprisoned due to coercion, abuse, or financial vulnerability.
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We are committed to improving prison conditions and addressing the systemic issues that lead to overcrowding and inhumane treatment. Pakistan’s prisons are severely overcrowded, with some facilities operating at more than double their intended capacity. This leads to poor sanitation, lack of access to clean water, insufficient food, and inadequate medical care. Overcrowding also increases the risk of violence, abuse, and the spread of disease, creating an environment where basic human dignity is denied.
Our work focuses on structural reforms to reduce prison populations and improve conditions for incarcerated individuals. We push for the enforcement of legal safeguards against arbitrary detention, expedited case processing to reduce pretrial detention, and the introduction of alternative sentencing measures such as probation and community service for non-violent offenders. Our team works directly with prisoners to secure access to healthcare, mental health support, and legal aid, ensuring that their fundamental rights are protected.
We also engage with policymakers and prison authorities to improve infrastructure and ensure that prisons meet international human rights standards. This includes increasing access to educational and vocational programs, improving access to medical care, and ensuring that vulnerable groups—such as women, juveniles, and individuals with disabilities—receive the specialized support they need. Our goal is to create a justice system that upholds the dignity and humanity of every incarcerated individual, ensuring that prisons serve as spaces for rehabilitation rather than punishment.
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