An Empirical Analysis of Judicial Delays and their Impact on Rule of Law and SDG Outcomes in Pakistan

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2026
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Abstract
This study empirically examine the effect of judicial delays on rule of law performance and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) outcomes in Pakistan With 2.3 million pending cases, Pakistan’s judiciary has significant delays in delivering justice that have resulted in its low rank, 129th place, on the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index. Using a cross-sectional quantitative survey approach, researchers analyzed responses from 624 individuals. The data were analyzed with the help of descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on their mean scores for each of these items being significantly above the neutral point (p <0.001), respondents supported the idea that judicial delays diminish public confidence, impede climate-related cases in achieving SDG #13, deter investment, and create barriers to achieving gender equity (SDG #5). Respondents viewed broader failures in delivering justice as being of greater consequence than simply experiencing delays associated with the judicial system. Over half (51.3%) of the respondents reported that they did not believe that equal access to justice currently exists. There is a need for the judiciary to implement strategies to reduce case backlogs and to restrict the frequency with which hearings are postponed, to modernize the method by which cases are managed and to enhance access to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Timely justice must be achieved in order for Pakistan to improve compliance with the WJP Rule of Law Index and to realize the SDG objectives.
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Authors Ibtasam Zafar Butt, Muhammad Muzaffar
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Journal Annals of Human and Social Sciences
Year 2026
DOI
10.35484/ahss.2026(7-II)15
URL
https://ojs.ahss.org.pk/journal/article/view/1211
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