Justice for the Poor in Pakistan: Unequal Law in Action

By Saleem Mubarak

In Pakistan, some time ago, a line became famous: “Then they say, Bota, use filthy language.”

People laughed, repeated it and shared it on social media. But the story I’m about to tell makes that line feel even sharper, almost bitterly true.

This article highlights the harsh reality of justice for the poor in Pakistan, where the law often favors the powerful over ordinary citizens.

It’s a story from the by-election day. Picture this: the same city, the same day, the same crime.

Two people commit it—one is a common man, the other a powerful politician with direct access to power corridors.

On paper, the crime is identical, but in reality, everything is different.

When the Poor Face Swift Punishment

The poor man dared to share his vote-casting process on social media. It was a golden opportunity for the police, from top to bottom, to show that it is playing an active role in ensuring free and transparent elections.

He was grabbed, handcuffed, and dragged into a police lockup. A case was registered immediately and copies of the FIR were shared with the media to keep them informed.

Justice, it seems, is swift. The politician, however, even if dozens witness the act, faces nothing. At most, he received a polite notice from the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Following this so-called ‘fair justice’ people shake their heads and whisper, “Then they say, Bota, use filthy language.”

The Law Protects the Powerful

It is true that the police acted—they punished someone who broke the law. That’s commendable. But it’s also painfully clear who they targeted: not the powerful politician, but the poor man.

A man with no influence, no connections and no shield could not keep himself safe from the clutches of the law.

The law is supposed to treat everyone equally. But here, equality has been a joke for decades. Everyone knows that when powerful people break the law, the officials appointed to uphold it start finding ways to protect them. Everyone sees it. Yet the law sleeps.

Officials Only Act When the Powerful Are Offended

The officials awaken only when these powerful people feel offended or troubled. They then show that the law is alive and that no one is above it. The officials wield it like a weapon, ensuring that everyone below must kneel.

If you are aligned with the powerful, the law is invisible. If you are poor, the law is a hammer.

Routine Mistreatment of the Poor

It’s a textbook example that the poor are never ‘taught kindly’ — no gentle guidance, no room for understanding.

Police consider it their privilege to enter homes without fear, often treating the people inside harshly.

Complaints vanish into the void. Appeals meet silence. Mistreatment at the hands of the police has become routine. In the eyes of the authorities, they can enter any home they choose, and no one can stop them, as they are in the field to ‘protect’ the lives and property of the masses.

Unequal Justice Destroys Public Trust

But if the home belongs to a government official or political heavyweight, suddenly it’s a maze of bureaucracy. The police must approach the court for a search warrant. Paperwork piles up. In practice? Most of the time, nothing happens.

When the poor are involved, there’s no paperwork, no formalities—just immediate action. The law is enforced with precision.

And this, naturally, erodes trust. When people see such an imbalance, they stop believing in justice. To regain that faith, the law must be the same for everyone.

A crime, no matter who commits it, must meet the same scrutiny and the same accountability.

The truth is harsh: when powerful people commit the same crime, they often go unpunished. And the common people ask, almost as a question with no answer, “What kind of law lets the powerful get away but punishes the poor?”

Author Profile

Saleem Mubarak: Award-winning investigative journalist with 20+ years of experience across Pakistan's leading news organisations, including 15+ years as Senior Staff Correspondent at Dawn. Driven by a lifelong passion for investigative journalism and human rights, with a proven record of hard-hitting stories that forced official action — from hospital negligence and illegal land grabs to harassment probes and social injustice. He is the recipient of the K.C. Kulish International Award for Excellence in Print Journalism.