The Reimagining Justice: Public Health and Human Rights-Centered Drug Policy consultation on 28 January 2025 built on Justice Project Pakistan’s inaugural conference in April 2024, which launched Pakistan’s first national dialogue on drug policy and human rights. That event highlighted systemic challenges, including over-incarceration, inadequate sentencing, and the urgent need for harm reduction strategies. Since then, notable progress has been made, such as the Prosecutor General Punjab’s visit to Portugal in November 2024 to engage with experts on its drug policy framework, and the Federal Judicial Academy’s development of a course on human rights and drug policy for judges.

With the generous support of the Canadian High Commission in Pakistan, the January 2025 consultation aimed to further these discussions by launching five policy briefs addressing key aspects of drug policy reform:

     1. The Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997: A Critical Analysis
     2. Reforming Policing Strategies under the CNSA for Effective Performance
     3. Proportionate Sentencing: A Solution to Prison Overcrowding under the CNSA
     4. Harm Reduction and Public Health Centered Drug Policy
     5. Gendered Impact of the CNSA 1997: Structural Vulnerabilities and Paths to Reform

This Consultation convened judges, policymakers, public health experts, law enforcement officials, and civil society representatives to critically assess the Control of Narcotic Substances Act (CNSA) and its implications for criminal justice, public health, harm reduction, and gender equality.  

It focused on formulating actionable recommendations to guide legislative and policy reforms, improve judicial and law enforcement practices, and strengthen effective health services. By engaging key stakeholders with direct implementation experience, the consultation sought to ensure that future drug policy reforms are informed by both international best practices and local realities.