The Sociology of Legal Aid in Pakistan: Bridging the Gap between Law and Marginalized Communities

Abstract

This article explores sociology of legal aid in Pakistan in terms of the structural, cultural and institutional barriers in which justice can be restricted against the marginalized communities. It examines the effects of poverty, illiteracy, gender disparity and the geographic distance on the legal awareness and interaction with the formal legal institutions. The study examines how the gaps can be filled through the state-sponsored legal aid, non-governmental organizations, and informal systems of justice. In employing the sociological perspective, the paper identifies power dynamics between the legal institutions and the vulnerable group and assesses the success of the current legal assistance structures to support social justice and legal empowerment in Pakistan.