UoP Hosts Historic Conference on Criminal Justice
Staff Report
PESHAWAR: The First International Criminology Conference was officially inaugurated on Wednesday at the Bara Gali Campus of the University of Peshawar. The prestigious event brought together distinguished guests, academics, and experts from across the country to discuss pressing issues in criminal justice and the need for systemic reforms.
Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, Justice Syed Muhammad Attique Shah, graced the occasion as the chief guest. In his keynote address, he highlighted the critical role of transparent and accountable investigation processes in ensuring justice. “The greatest barrier to justice is poor investigation. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” he stated, emphasizing the urgent need for integrity and reform in the criminal justice system.
Dr. Basharat Hussain, Chairman of the Department of Criminology at the University of Peshawar, delivered the welcome address, shedding light on the colonial legacy of Pakistan’s criminal justice system and stressing the need for modernization and legal reforms.
Prominent attendees included Professor Dr. Sajjad Ahmad (Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences), Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (Dean, Faculty of Numerical Sciences), Professor Dr. Jamil Chitrali (Director, Peace & Conflict Studies), Professor Dr. Syed Minhaj-ul-Hasan (former Dean, Arts & Humanities), Dr. Zakaullah Jan (former Vice Chancellor, City University), and Mr. Akhtar Ali (Director, NAB). They praised the initiative as a significant step toward bridging the gap between academic research and field practice.
Babar Bashir, Managing Director Rozan Pakistan, noted that the criminal justice system is a collective responsibility and called upon civil society to play a more active role in promoting justice and accountability.
At the end of the inaugural ceremony, honorary shields were presented to the chief guest and other dignitaries by the Criminology Department.
The first day concluded with three technical sessions featuring the presentation of research papers by national experts on topics related to criminal justice and social reforms.
It is worth mentioning that the concluding session of the three-day criminology seminar will be held on Friday at the University of Peshawar’s Bara Gali campus. On this occasion, the Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Dr. Muhammad Ali Saif, will attend as the chief guest.
