KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said that the Sindh Prosecution Roadmap 2025-2030 was a pioneering study that identified gaps and challenges in the criminal justice system regarding the rights of transgender community, minorities and trafficking of persons.

`The launch of five-year project marks asignificant step forward in advancing ongoing rule of law reforms to the next level and let us continue to work together and leverage our collective expertise to implement the Sindh Prosecution Roadmap and deliver a fair and equitable justice system to serve the people of Sindh and Pakistan,` said the chief minister while speaking at the launching ceremony of the project here at a local hotel.

The event was organised by the Sindh Criminal Prosecution Services Department in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The chief minister was of the view that his government was committed to a transparent and equitable justice system in Sindh through the prosecution road map.

He lauded the UNODC for its relentless supportand technicalguidancein shapinga citizen-centric and inclusive road map aimed at enhancing the performance of the prosecutorial system in the province over the next five years.

He said that that the criminal procedure code (CrPC) was promulgated in 1898 and there was a dire need to update it in view of advancements in technology and investigating techniques.He stated that although the CrPC was a federal law, but provinces can also make amendments. He asked the prosecutor general and other stakeholders to suggest easyto-implement amendments to the colonialera law.

Implementation of witness protection law CM Shah said that the Sindh Assembly had enacted various significant legislation including prison reforms, laws regarding witness protection, gender-based violence and forced conversion as well as protection of minority rights.

However, he conceded that unfortunately, the Witness Protection Act, which was enacted in 2013, had not been used very effectively.

`That is one area we need to focus on so that we can have this law properly implemented,` he added.

He also highlighted the efforts of the provincial assembly in introducing laws aimed at implementing various innovative and citizen-centric initiatives, including capacity building of prosecutors and training of the Sindh police in handling cases involving transgender individuals.

The chief minister stated that the Pakistan Peoples Party believed in upholding the rule of law at the national level and had provided the constitutional framework for the country and also defending the same.

`Roadmap reflects emerging needs of Sindh`s prosecutors` UNODC country representative Dr Jeremy Mislom said that the roadmap aimed at strengthening the Sindh prosecution services department.

He stated that the UNODC was proud to support this groundbreaking initiative.

`The prosecution roadmap is a ballistic policy guiding document and drafted after detailed consultations and it reflected the emerging needs of requirements of Sindh`s prosecutors,` he added.The road map guided by three pillars enhancing institutional capacity of Sindh criminal prosecution services, bolstering gate-keeping function of the prosecution including accountability as well as transparency and advancing towards inclusive and citizen-centric service based on gender equality principle especially prioritising vulnerable groups in service delivery, he said.

`We must protect the rights of all individuals, including marginalised and vulnerable populations, with an enhanced focus on gender perspectives to ensure women, girls and excluded groups, such as transgender individuals have access to justice and legal protection against human rights violations,` Dr Milsom added.

Zia Hashmi of UNODC also highlighted the keyfeatures ofthe roadmap and said it aimed to implement citizen-centric, data-based and gender-based reforms.

The recruitment, training, infrastructure, technology, specialisedprosecution unit, reduction of backlog of cases, performance evaluation, victim support services and witness protection are the strategic objectives of the roadmap, he added.

He stated that a steering committee would be constituted to oversee and take decisions regarding the implementation of targeted priority initiatives as identified under the roadmap.

He said a dedicated delivery unit would also be put in place as the nodal point of data management, coordination andprogressreporting on the implementation status of the roadmap.

PPP MNA Dr Nafeesa Shah spoke about women empowerment and stressed that at least 10 per cent quota for women be may allocated in government jobs.

Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput of the Sindh High Court, retired Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi, Sindh Prosecutor General Dr Faiz Shah and others also spoke on the occasion.