ISLAMABAD – If anyone tries to abrogate the constitution in the future, he will have to face unparalleled resentment from the legal-judicial fraternity, civil society and the media, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Saturday.
“In the wake of historic struggle for the restoration of independent judiciary in the country, no adventurer will dare to abrogate or deviate from the constitution. If anyone dared then he would have face unparallel resentment from the legal-judicial fraternity and civil society and media,” chief justice expressed these views in the certificates-awarding ceremony on the conclusion of a one-week training course titled, “Orientation of New Laws” for additional district and sessions judges/ senior civil judges held at the Federal Judicial Academy.
“Deviation from the constitution in any manner will not be tolerated. If any judge sides with a violator, he will be liable for misconduct as decided in the historic judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” he added. He said that the rule of law was ‘sine qua non’ for democracy, adding that it was the prime duty of the judges to enforce the constitution and the Rule of Law in the country so as to take the country to new horizons of socio-economic development.
“We have to enforce the rule of law at any cost because it is the Rule of law which promotes democratic dispensation and accountability,” he maintained. Quoting an example of the neighboring country, India, he said that there were no problems there “because there has been no deviation from the constitution in that country. Both, individuals and institutions strictly follow the rule of law and constitutionalism; as a result democracy has flourished there”.
He urged the district judiciary judges to decide the cases expeditiously and on merit in accordance with law. “Delivering decisions on technical ground is not justice. Your decisions may convey the sense and there may be few chances for the superior courts to interfere” he pointed out. Highlighting the role of district judiciary in the administration of justice he said that the district judiciary played pivotal role because a major portion of the litigations came to these courts.
“District Judiciary deserves appreciation for administering expeditious justice to the litigant public in the wake of announcement of National Judicial policy (NJP). Still much is desired to achieve the Goal of “Justice for all,” the CJ added. Lamenting the state of pervasive corruption and non-disposal of cases in the district courts, he said that there were frequent complaints, both, about the involvement of the paralegal staff and in some cases about the Judicial Officers and also about non-disposal of cases.
“We all have to make genuine efforts to combat corruption from the court and young Judicial Officers can play significant role in this battle against this menace,” he added. Calling the young judicial officers as the ‘future architects’, he advised them to work with dedication, devotion, diligently and honestly to provide speedy justice to the people.
Earlier, DG of the Academy, Parvaiz Ali Chawla presented his welcome address and shed light on the enviable legal-judicial achievements of the Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan who is also chairman Board of Governors of the Academy.
