- Chief Justice Nisar says will step down from office if he cannot stop imposition of martial law
- Says constitution does not allow delay in elections but ‘if you think there are chances then this could happen’
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has said he will resign from his position if he cannot stop the imposition of martial law in the country.
Speaking at a Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) event on Thursday, the country’s top judge urged the masses to trust him and promised his loyalty in return. He asserted that he would try to resist martial law even if he is alone in doing so. “If I am unable to resist martial law then I will pack up and go home, but won’t endorse it,” he maintained.
CJP Nisar further said that he will lose the right to be the top judge if such an event occurs. “We will not allow this shame to be imposed on us. I will protect the country,” he said.
Commenting on the reports of a ‘judicial martial law’, he said that the term ‘judicial martial law’ does not even make sense.
Speaking about upcoming elections, Justice Nisar asserted there is no margin in the constitution to allow for a delay in the general elections. “Thankfully we have a constitution that states everything,” he said.
“If you think elections cannot be postponed because there is no margin to do so in the constitution then they would not be delayed, but if you think there are chances then this could happen,” the CJP mused.
However, the chief justice added that parts of the constitution that he has read so far do not allow elections to be postponed.
“Apart from the constitution, there is faith that the public of Pakistan has entrusted me with and I will not breach their confidence,” Chief Justice Nisar said while talking about elections being conducted on time.
Moreover, the CJP said he did not deem it right to speak much on the topic as the event he was addressing was held in honour of the services of human rights activist and noted lawyer Asma Jahangir, who passed away earlier this year.
The CJP, paying homage to Asma Jahangir, said she had great leadership qualities and above all was a great humanitarian. Recollecting the days when they worked together, he said Jahangir would volunteer to take up cases of women who could not afford lawyers before he would assign them to anyone.
“She always had courage and passion to work for the poor and downtrodden people of society,” he said, adding that, “I don’t have enough words to express her personality.”