Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said in his address that he is prepared to work together with the Judiciary to settle issues. This is a preposterous statement as how can the Government and Judiciary sit together to decide issues confronting the Government? Where would be the concept of the independence of Judiciary, enshrined in the Constitution, be in that case.
We have a precedent of a Chief Justice of Superior Court, Justice Abdul Rasheed who refused to meet the then Prime Minister, Liaqat Ali Khan because some cases of the Government were pending in the Court.
Justice would be compromised in the case that the Prime Minister sat with the Chief Justice in the spirit of give and take that would destroy the very edifice of Justice in the country leaving the public high and dry due to an unhealthy nexus between the Government and Judiciary which has to be avoided at all costs. This idea of Prime Minister sitting with the Chief Justice is highly undesirable and must be discouraged so that it does not take root.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore