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The Journal of Political Science

Department of Political Science, Government College University Lahore
ISSN (print): 1726-6467
ISSN (online): 2709-8672

PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN

  • Taimoor Raza Sultan/
  • Rana Hassan Ali/
  • September 09, 2025
Keywords
Arbitration, Enforcement, Public Policy, & Awards
Abstract

The enforcement of foreign arbitral awards is foundational to international arbitration, with the public policy exception under the New York Convention serving as a limited safeguard designed to prevent enforcement in exceptional cases that would fundamentally violate the enforcing state's substantive legal principles. Historically, the judicial decisions in Pakistan have diverged from global arbitration norms by expansively construing public policy, thereby impeding the enforcement of awards. This expansive interpretation has generated anti-enforcement decisions, resulting in legal uncertainty that discourages foreign investment and hinders Pakistan’s integration with the global arbitration order. By examining landmark cases, this article illustrates the adverse impact of Pakistan’s deviation from the international standard of restrictive public policy interpretation. While the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling in Taisei Corporation and the Draft Arbitration Act 2024’s introduction of a statutory definition of public policy indicate an emerging shift toward a more internationalist approach, substantial reforms are still required for Pakistan to establish itself as a reliable forum for the enforcement of arbitral awards.

Keywords: Arbitration, Enforcement, Public Policy, & Awards

How to cite

Sultan, T. R., & Ali, R. H. (2025). PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN. The Journal of Political Science, 42(2). http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page

Retrieved from http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page

More citation formats
ACM SIG Proceedings
[1]Sultan, T.R. and Ali, R.H. 2025. PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN. The Journal of Political Science. 42, 2 (Sept. 2025).
ACS Nano
(1)Sultan, T. R.; Ali, R. H. PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN. The Journal of Political Science 2025, 42 (2).
ABNT
SULTAN, Taimoor Raza; ALI, Rana Hassan. PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN. The Journal of Political Science, v. 42, n. 2, 9 Sept.2025.
Chicago (author-date)

            

                    
Harvard (Cite Them Right)

            

                
Sultan, T.R. and Ali, R.H. (2025) “PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN”, The Journal of Political Science, 42(2). Available at: http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page (Accessed: 17 October 2026).

            

                    
IEEE

            

                
[1]T. R. Sultan and R. H. Ali, “PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN”, The Journal of Political Science, vol. 42, no. 2, Sept. 2025, Accessed: Oct. 17, 2026. [Online]. Available: http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page

            

                    
MLA

            

                
Sultan, Taimoor Raza, and Rana Hassan Ali. “PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN”. The Journal of Political Science, vols. 42, nos. 2, Sept. 2025, http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page.

            

                    
Turabian (full note bibliography)

            

                
Sultan, Taimoor Raza, and Rana Hassan Ali. “PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN”. The Journal of Political Science 42, no. 2 (September 9, 2025). Accessed October 17, 2026. http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page.

            

                    
Vancouver

            

                
1.Sultan TR, Ali RH. PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN. The Journal of Political Science [Internet]. 2025 Sept. 9 [cited 2026 Oct. 17];42(2). Available from: http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page

            

                    
AMA

            

                
1.Sultan TR, Ali RH. PUBLIC POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN ARBITRAL AWARDS IN PAKISTAN. The Journal of Political Science. 2025;42(2). Accessed October 17, 2026. http://jps.gcu.edu.pk/website/journal/article/68c0799e124d9/page

            

            






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Author(s):



    

        

        
            
Taimoor Raza Sultan

        
        Author
    

    
Taimoor Raza Sultan is an arbitration practitioner having an LL.M. in International Commercial Arbitration from Stockholm University

    
Pakistan

    
    
    

    

        

        
            
Rana Hassan Ali

        
        Author
    

    
Rana Hassan Ali is an LL.M. candidate in International Economic Law at Punjab University.

    
Pakistan

    
    
    


    
Details:





    

        
        

            Type:
            Article
        

        

            Volume:
            42
        

        

            Issue:
            2
        

        

            Language:
            English
        

        

            Id:
            68c0799e124d9
        

                        

            Published
            September 09, 2025
            
        

        
    


        

        

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                            Department  of Political Science, Government College University Lahore
                        

                    
                

            

        

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