Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Friday that the independence of the judiciary was axiomatic in every society and the Constitution of Pakistan guaranteed the independence of the judiciary and prevented interference by the executive in its affairs.
Addressing the inaugural session of the National Judicial Conference, he said the judiciary closely supervised and protected the fundamental rights of the citizens as enshrined in the constitution. He said the courts came into action the moment such rights were violated and appropriate proceedings were initiated for their enforcement.
“When we talk about judicial independence, it must operate within the constitutional domain assigned to it,” said the CJP. He said the judiciary’s competence could be measured through its decisions and approach.
The bar played an equal role in the maintenance and independence of the judiciary, he said. The quality of the bar, he said, was bound to reflect on the quality of the bench.
