THE legitimacy of a criminal justice system is not measured by how severely it punishes the guilty, but by how faithfully it upholds the law, even in the face of the most reprehensible allegations. In recent times, the apparent public acceptance of extrajudicial killings has raised a question that deserves serious reflection: can justice truly be served by circumventing the very institutions established to administer it?

The Constitution of Pakistan leaves little room for ambiguity. Article 9 safeguards the right to life and liberty, while Article 10A guarantees fair trial and due process. These are not privileges extended selectively to those deemed deserving of sympathy; they are fundamental rights guaranteed to every individual. The presumption of innocence remains an indispensable principle of criminal jurisprudence,........

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