What TV Courtroom Dramas Get Wrong About Law in Pakistan
Many students first think about studying law after watching a courtroom scene on TV. A sharp lawyer stands up, a hidden witness walks in, the accused breaks down and confesses, and the judge bangs a gavel as the music rises. Parents watch the same scenes and form their own picture of what it means to become a lawyer in Pakistan, which can feel either exciting or worrying.
The short answer is that real courts in Pakistan are slower, quieter and far more paper-based than anything on screen. Cases move through fixed legal stages over many hearings, most of the work happens in files and chambers rather than in speeches, and the judge controls the room without any hammer. That is not bad news: once you understand the real process, you can choose law for the right reasons.
Myth: a case is decided in one dramatic hearing
On screen, a case is filed, argued and decided within one episode. In a district court in Punjab, a single case may appear on the cause list many times before it ends. Many hearings last a few minutes because a witness is absent, one side asks for time, or the judge cannot reach every case that day.
Adjournments are a normal part of the system, not a sign that something has gone wrong. Courts can refuse repeated requests for time and can impose costs, but a contested case with several witnesses rarely finishes quickly.
What a civil suit really goes through
Under the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, a civil suit moves through broadly these stages:
The plaintiff files a plaint setting out the claim.
The court issues summons, and the defendant files a written statement in reply.
The court reads both pleadings and frames issues, meaning the precise points the parties disagree on.
Each side produces evidence, including documents and witnesses who are examined and cross-examined.
The court hears final arguments.
The court announces its judgment, and a decree is drawn up.
Applications for a stay or temporary injunction add their own hearings, and an appeal may follow. So how long a case takes varies a great deal with the type of case, the court's workload and how the parties conduct it.
Myth: the police solve the case and the trial starts the next day
In a drama, the FIR is registered, the inspector cracks the case and the next scene is the trial. In reality, police work comes first, followed by a court process with fixed steps.
Under section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, when information about a cognizable offense is given to the officer in charge of a police station, it must be recorded. If the police refuse, the complainant can approach the Justice of Peace under section 22-A, who can direct registration where a cognizable offense appears from the record. After registration comes investigation, and the police then submit their report to the court. Only after that does the trial begin.
How a criminal trial actually moves
For cases tried by a Court of Session, Chapter XXII-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure sets out the main steps:
Copies to the accused. Under section 265-C, the accused receives copies of the FIR, the police report and the recorded statements of witnesses, free of cost, at least seven days before the trial.
Charge. Under sections 265-D and 265-E, the court frames a written charge if there is ground to proceed. It is read and explained to the accused, who may plead guilty or say they have a defense.
Prosecution evidence. Under section 265-F, prosecution witnesses are examined and cross-examined.
Statement of the accused. Under section 342, the court puts the evidence against the accused to them so they can explain it. Courts have held that evidence not put to the accused cannot be used to convict them.
Defense evidence and arguments. The defense may produce its own evidence, and both sides sum up their case.
Judgment. Under section 265-H, the court records an acquittal or a conviction and sentence.
Trials before magistrates follow a similar but separate chapter of the Code.
Myth: a surprise witness or sudden confession ends the trial
The most famous TV moment is the door bursting open as an unknown witness walks in. Because the accused receives copies of the police report and witness statements before the trial, both sides usually know in advance who the prosecution witnesses are and what they said. The defense prepares its cross-examination around those statements.
Real criminal cases are more often decided by quieter details: contradictions between witnesses, delay in reporting, medical and forensic reports, and whether documents were properly proved.
Why the "he confessed to the inspector" scene is weak
Confessions on screen are usually made to a police officer or blurted out in the witness box. Under the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, a confession made to a police officer cannot be proved against the accused (Article 38). A confession made in police custody cannot be used either, unless it was made in the immediate presence of a magistrate (Article 39). A confession caused by a threat, inducement or promise from a person in authority is also irrelevant (Article 37).
Myth: good lawyers shout, pace the room and yell "Objection!"
There is no jury in a Pakistani courtroom, so there is no audience to perform for. Advocates speak to the judge, usually standing at their place, and persuade through the law, earlier judgments and the contents of the file. A calm, well-prepared advocate who can point to the right page is far more effective than a loud one.
Objections do happen, for example to a question put to a witness or to a document being produced. They are raised in a normal voice, and the judge decides them. Witness testimony is written into the record under the judge's supervision, so evidence moves at the speed of careful note-taking.
Real courtroom behavior is about respect and patience: standing when the judge enters, keeping your phone silent, never interrupting, and waiting for your case to be called. Students who plan to watch hearings can prepare with our guide on courtroom etiquette for students observing a hearing.
Myth: the judge bangs a gavel and shouts "order, order"
The gavel is mainly an American courtroom image. The Federal Judicial Center, a US judicial research body, notes that gavels were never used in the United Kingdom or its other former colonies. Pakistan's courts grew out of the British Indian legal system, and you will generally not see a judge in a Pakistani court using one.
Real judges control the room with ordinary instructions: they ask counsel to sit down, call the next case or adjourn the matter. Because there is no jury, the judge decides both the facts and the law, supervises the recording of evidence, works through a long cause list and writes the orders and judgments.
Myth: bail is granted in one line
On TV, one sentence from the lawyer gets the client released. In practice, bail after arrest is sought under section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, while pre-arrest bail is sought under section 498. The Supreme Court has set different standards for the two, and courts treat them differently.
A bail hearing usually involves the police record, arguments from the prosecutor and often the complainant's lawyer. Pre-arrest bail is commonly granted on an interim basis first and then confirmed or recalled at a later hearing. Even after bail is granted, bonds have to be completed before release, and the accused must keep attending the trial. Bail is not an acquittal.
Myth: khula or divorce happens in one emotional scene
Dramas often show the judge ending a marriage in the same scene a wife speaks. In Punjab, a suit for dissolution of marriage, including khula, goes to a family court under the Family Courts Act 1964, as amended by the Punjab Family Courts (Amendment) Act 2015. The main steps are:
The wife files a plaint, and the court sends notice or summons to the husband.
The husband is required to file a written statement with a list of witnesses.
At the pre-trial stage, the court identifies the points in dispute and attempts a compromise between the parties.
If reconciliation fails, the law says the family court shall immediately pass a decree for dissolution. In a khula case, the court may direct the wife to give up part of her dower, within limits set in the Act.
Within three days of the decree, the court must send a certified copy to the Chairman of the Arbitration Council, who then proceeds under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961.
So the decree can come at the pre-trial stage, but it is not one scene: notice, appearance, reconciliation hearings and the Arbitration Council follow-up all take time. Related claims, such as maintenance and child custody, can take much longer.
Myth: a new lawyer wins a headline case in the first month
Dramas love the fresh graduate who wins a murder trial alone and works from a large office. The real route to becoming a lawyer in Pakistan is longer. After the LL.B, a graduate generally has to pass the Law-GAT conducted by HEC, complete pupillage with a senior advocate and apply for enrollment, with the steps set out in our Punjab Bar Council enrollment checklist.
Most young advocates then start as juniors in a senior's chamber, where much of the early work is noting next dates, drafting routine applications, obtaining certified copies, waiting for a case to be called and covering hearings for the senior. Early income is often modest and irregular, and it varies by chamber, city and practice area. Our post on your first year as a junior advocate in Faisalabad describes what a typical week looks like.
How to see the real thing before deciding
The best cure for TV myths is to watch real proceedings. Students can sit quietly in an open court at the district courts and watch how cases are called, adjourned and argued. Some hearings, especially family matters, may not be open to visitors, so follow the court staff's instructions.
If you are considering a college, ask a specific question, such as: "Does the college arrange supervised court visits or moot court sessions in the first year, and how often?" You can send it to the admissions office through the Pasban Law College contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Do judges in Pakistan use a gavel?
Generally, no. Gavels are mainly an American courtroom image, and the US Federal Judicial Center notes they were never used in the United Kingdom or its other former colonies. Pakistan's courts grew out of the British Indian system, and judges control the room by speaking: asking counsel to sit, calling the next case or adjourning the matter.
How long does a court case take in Pakistan?
It varies a great deal with the type of case, the court's workload and how the parties conduct it. A civil suit passes through pleadings, issues, evidence, arguments and judgment, and a criminal trial has its own fixed stages. Adjournments are normal, so most contested cases take many hearings rather than one.
Can a confession made to the police be used in court in Pakistan?
Under the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, a confession made to a police officer cannot be proved against the accused. A confession made in police custody cannot be used either, unless it was made in the immediate presence of a magistrate. A confession caused by a threat, inducement or promise is also irrelevant.
If a courtroom drama has made you curious about law, keep the curiosity and drop the expectations. Visit a court, read one real judgment and speak to a practicing advocate before deciding. If the slow, careful reality still interests you, that is a much better sign than any TV scene.
About this guide: The points on criminal procedure were checked in October 2026 against the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act 1976 as published in the Gazette of Pakistan, High Court of Sindh judgments on FIR registration, bail and the statement of the accused, the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, the Punjab Family Courts (Amendment) Act 2015 and the Federal Judicial Center's note on gavels. We did not find an official Pakistani source on gavel use or any official figures on case duration, so those points are stated generally; check current procedure with a practicing advocate. This guide is general information, not legal advice about any case.
