The Supreme Court is bound to keep a close watch on all the government departments in order to prevent any irregularity, corruption and stop abuse of power. This was stated by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, while speaking at the opening session of a three-day National Judicial Conference (NJC) here on Friday.
"An independent judiciary sets and declares the constitutional limits on the powers of the state organs including the executive, legislature and the courts", he maintained. The role of judiciary, he added, is not that of an opposition to the legislator and the executive but that of a custodian of constitutional rights of the citizens.
Iftikhar said NJC conference provides a unique opportunity to the participants to share their experiences and knowledge with each other to be able to bring about more improvement in the system of administration of justice. "It will also help bring relief to the litigant public and enable the judiciary to play its due role in ensuring good governance in the country as an arbiter of disputes in accordance with the constitution," he added.
He said reform and innovation, though always required, have never come in an easy way. The national judicial conference is an effort to take the wisdom and sagacity of learned and experienced minds, he remarked. The CJP reiterated that Supreme Court has the authority to examine irregularities of government and its departments to prevent abuse of power. "We are accountable before Allah almighty and the nation and we have to fulfil our responsibility at all costs," he said.
He dispelled the impression of clash between judiciary and the executive and stressed the need to carry out the legislation in light of the powers laid down in the constitution. The democratic set up should have a mechanism of check and balance and the judiciary must distance itself from political process and function in an honest manner, he stressed.
He said some of the law institutions are not imparting standard education and asked the judges to dispose of cases within stipulated time. Cases of women, elderly and weak must be settled on priority basis, he said. There is a dire need to practice peace, unity and tolerance in the country, he said, adding that the profession of lawyers and judges is very sacred. Lawmakers should make laws as per the limitations given in the constitution, or judiciary has the power to reject it, he maintained.
He said Article 2-A of the Constitution ensures freedom of judiciary. The condition of jails in the country is not satisfactory. He said that actions of March 9 and November 3, 2007 shook the judicial system and prevailing crises withered two important years. Earlier, Secretary Pakistan Law and Justice Commission Dr Faqir Hussain briefed the participants about the objectives of the conference. He said the conference would make recommendations for reforms in the judiciary to the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC).
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