Quick answer: Pakistani law divides into criminal law (PPC, CrPC — offences against the state), civil law (CPC, Contract Act, property laws — disputes between people), constitutional law (the 1973 Constitution), family law, commercial law (Companies Act 2017), tax law and cyber law (PECA 2016). Islamic law threads through several branches via the Federal Shariat Court’s jurisdiction.
Criminal law
Crimes are offences against the state, prosecuted by the state: the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 defines them (murder, theft, cheating, blasphemy) and the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898 runs the process — FIR, arrest, bail, trial. Punishments blend imprisonment and fines with Islamic penalties (qisas, diyat) for hurt and homicide. The standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt.
Civil law
Civil law settles disputes between people and organisations: contracts (Contract Act, 1872), property (Transfer of Property Act, 1882), family matters, and money claims. Procedure comes from the Civil Procedure Code, 1908, and the standard of proof is the lower balance of probabilities. Remedies are usually compensation or injunctions, not punishment.
Public and constitutional law
Constitutional law — the 1973 Constitution, fundamental rights, and the limits on state power — is enforced through writ petitions in the High Courts (Article 199) and the Supreme Court (Article 184). Administrative law governs how the bureaucracy must act; tax law (Income Tax Ordinance 2001, Sales Tax Act 1990) funds the state.
Specialised branches
Commercial law (Companies Act 2017, SECP regulations), labour law, environmental law and cyber law (PECA, 2016, amended 2025) each have their own statutes and tribunals. Family/personal law — marriage, divorce, inheritance — varies by religion, with Muslim family law dominant. See how all of these fit together in the complete Pakistan law guide.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What are the two main types of law in Pakistan?
Criminal law (state prosecutes offences under the PPC) and civil law (private disputes under the CPC and Contract Act) — with constitutional law above both.
What is the difference between civil and criminal law in Pakistan?
Criminal cases are state vs accused with punishment as the outcome; civil cases are person vs person with compensation or orders as the outcome.
Which law governs business in Pakistan?
Mainly the Contract Act 1872 and the Companies Act 2017, regulated by the SECP, plus tax statutes.
