ISLAMABAD: Senior officials from Balochistan’s criminal justice institutions undertook a four-day study visit to Ireland from October 20 to 23, 2025, to learn about Ireland’s criminal justice practices and explore ways to enhance coordination, accountability, and performance management within the province’s justice system.
The visit was organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Pakistan and facilitated by the Irish Rule of Law International (IRLI), with generous funding from the European Union under the Deliver Justice Project.
The delegation comprised senior representatives from the Balochistan High Court, Home Department, Police, Prosecution, Prisons, Reclamation and Probation, and Women Development Departments. The study visit provided participants with a first-hand understanding of Ireland’s integrated criminal justice system, focusing on collaboration between police, prosecution, judiciary, prisons, and probation services.
Delegates learned how Ireland’s justice sector uses data-driven management, evidence-based policies, and strategic planning to promote the rule of law and strengthen public confidence in justice institutions.
During their visit, the delegation met senior officials from An Garda Síochána (Ireland’s national police service), the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Courts Service, the Legal Aid Board, and the Irish Prison and Probation Services. They also received briefings at the Law Society of Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs to better understand the country’s legal evolution and governance reforms.
Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court, Justice Rozi Khan, highlighted the significance of international collaboration in justice reform, stating, “This visit has provided valuable insight into how institutions can work together to deliver justice more effectively and transparently.”
Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, Additional Chief Secretary of Balochistan’s Home Department, noted that Ireland’s experience as a common law country offers important lessons for Balochistan. “We can draw valuable guidance from Ireland’s remarkable reforms to build a more effective and citizen-centered justice system,” he said.
Úna Kelly, First Secretary for the Rule of Law at the EU Delegation to Pakistan, praised the initiative, noting that the study visit helped Balochistan’s justice leaders understand the importance of upholding human rights and involving civil society in addressing criminal justice challenges to ensure safer communities.
The exchange reflects how international cooperation and peer learning can strengthen fairness, accountability, and integrity in local justice institutions.
The Deliver Justice Project, worth 20 million euros, supports reform initiatives aimed at promoting people-centered justice, enhancing access for women and marginalized groups, and improving security sector service delivery in line with constitutional and international standards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The programme is funded by the EU and jointly implemented by UNDP, UN Women, and UNODC.
