Law:

 Law is a set of rules decided by a particular state meant for the purpose of keeping the
peace and security of society. Courts or police may enforce this system of rules and
punish people who break the laws, such as by paying a fine, or other penalty including
jail.

Nature of law :
Natural law is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and
based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied
independent of positive law. According to natural law theory, all people have inherent
rights, conferred not by act of legislation but by "God, nature, or reason."

Establishing Standards:

The law is a guidepost for minimally acceptable behavior in society. Some activities, for
instance, are crimes because society (through a legislative body) has determined that it
will not tolerate certain behaviors that injure or damage persons or their property. For
example, under a typical state law, it is a crime to cause physical injury to another
person without justification doing so generally constitutes the crime of assault.

Maintaining Order:

This is an offshoot of establishing standards. Some semblance of order is necessary in

a civil society and is therefore reflected in law. The law when enforced provides order
consistent with society’s guidelines. Wildlife management laws, for example, (such
as West Virginia’s prohibition against using ferrets for hunting,) were first passed in an
effort to conserve game that had nearly been hunted into extinction during the
nineteenth century. Such laws reflect the value society places on protecting wildlife for
future generations to enjoy.

Resolving Disputes:

Disputes are unavoidable in a society comprised of persons with different needs, wants,
values, and views. The law provides a formal means for resolving disputes the court
system.

Protecting Liberties and Rights:

The constitutions and statutes of the United States and its states provide for various
liberties and rights. One function of the law is to protect these various liberties and rights
from violations or unreasonable intrusions by persons, organizations, or government.
For example, subject to certain exceptions, the First Amendment to the Constitution
prohibits the government from making a law that prohibits the freedom of speech.
Someone who believes that his free speech rights have been prohibited by the
government may pursue a remedy by bringing a case in the courts.

Sources of law in Pakistan :

 Legislation (primary and secondary)

 The case law  rules of common law and equity
 Parliamentary conventions
 General customs
 Books of authority.
Legislation:
Legislation is the prime source of law. and consists in the declaration of legal rules by a
competent authority. Legislation can have many purposes: to regulate, to authorize, to
enable, to proscribe, to provide funds, to sanction, to grant, to declare or to restrict. A
parliamentary legislature frames new laws, such as Acts of Parliament, and amends or
repeals old laws.
Case Law:
Judicial precedent is based on the doctrine of stare decisive, and mostly associated with
jurisdictions based on the English common law, but the concept has been adopted in
part by Civil Law systems. Precedent is the accumulated principles of law derived from
centuries of decisions. Judgements passed by judges in important cases are recorded
and become significant source of law. When there is no legislature on a particular point
which arises in changing conditions, the judges depend on their own sense of right and
wrong and decide the disputes from first principles.
Equity:
Equity is a source of law peculiar to England and Wales. Equity is the case law
developed by the  Court of Chancery. Equity prevails over common law, but its
application is discretionary. Equity's main achievements are: trusts, charities, probate,
& equitable remedies. equity as 'a branch of law that developed alongside
common law and is concerned with fairness and justice, formerly administered in
special courts
Parliamentary Conventions :
Parliamentary Conventions are not strict rules of law, but their breach may lead to
breach of law. They typically are found within the English legal system, and they help
compensate for the UK's lack of a single written constitution. Typically, parliamentary
conventions govern relationships, such as that between the House of Lords and
the House of Commons; between the monarch and Parliament; and between Britain
and its colonies.
Customs :
A "General Custom" as a source of law is not normally written, but if a practice can be
shown to have existed for a very long timeA "Particular Custom" (or "private custom")
may arise and become a right with the force of law when a person, or a group of
persons has from long usage obtained a recognized usage, such as an easement.
Books of Authority:
Up until the 20th century, English judges felt able to examine certain "books of
authority" for guidance, and both Coke and Blackstone were frequently cited.This old
practice of citing only authors who are dead has gone; nowadays notable legal authors
may be cited, even if they are still alive. Books of authority is a term used
by legal writers to refer to a number of early legal textbooks that are excepted from the
rule that textbooks (and all books other than statute or law report) are not treated
as authorities by the courts of England and Wales and other common law jurisdictions.