News
Monday, February 08, 2010
SC doesn’t want to weaken democratic system: CJP* Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry says judiciary itself has made several sacrifices to put country on path of democracy
By Akhtar Amin
PESHAWAR: The Supreme Court has no intention to weaken the budding democratic system in the country, as the judiciary itself has made several sacrifices to put the country on the path of democracy, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Sunday.
The CJP made the comments while addressing lawyers during his first visit to Peshawar since his reinstatement. The chief justice was in Peshawar to condole the death of Muhammad Sardar Khan, a lawyer who was recently killed in Islamabad.
“The provision of justice is not possible without the rule of law and the constitution,” said the chief justice, adding that the bar and the bench had only one relation, and “this is to establish the rule of law”.
“Deviation from the rule of law will tarnish our struggle for the independence of the judiciary,” he said.
The chief justice linked the speedy disposal of cases to the “immediate” induction of judges in superior courts. “Currently, the judiciary’s main problem is filling of vacant slots at superior courts ... the judiciary won’t be able to deliver if new judges are not elevated to fill vacant posts,” he told lawyers at the registry of the Supreme Court.
He observed that people’s trust in the judiciary had led to high expectations from courts.
Replying to a question about the burgeoning corruption at the level of the subordinate judiciary, he said the Supreme Court was working on a strategy to eliminate corrupt practices at lower courts.
About Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case, the chief justice said the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction in the US.
A lawyer Ghulam Nabi Khan said the SC could take action against those in Pakistan who handed over Dr Aafia to the US. Ghulam Nabi also urged the chief justice to take notice of the “extra-judicial killings” in NWFP and the “growing number” of missing citizens both NWFP and Balochistan.
The CJP directed the lawyer to file data on “all such incidents” with the SC in documented form.
Former Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) president Abdul Lateef Afridi proposed that judges be inducted in the subordinate judiciary exclusively from the bar, “because fresh graduates are not capable enough to tackle the cases properly”.
However, PHCBA President Syed Muhammad Atiq Shah said at least five years of experience as a practicing lawyer must be made mandatory for appointment to offices of civil judge.
The chief justice also paid tribute to Sardar Khan, who was gunned down in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk