It is true that very few judges can count economics and public finance as their areas of interest. The Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Umar Umar Ata Bandial deserves commendation for not only speaking the truth but the whole truth. Only recently, the chief judge conceded the fact that he and his colleagues are not economists.
They will, therefore, not interfere in the economic policy framed and formulated by the Executive. It is interesting to note that India’s Supreme Court has already said that the economic policy is not justiciable; it is beyond the jurisdiction of Supreme Court or High Courts.
Needless to say, the country has suffered enormously on account of unwarranted and implausible role of the apex court in the cases of Reko Diq, Pakistan Steel Mills and sugar pricing under the then Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
Under no circumstances will the country afford the repeat of these or similar blunders in future. Hats off to the incumbent chief justice for making it clear to all and sundry that the judges are not economists; therefore, they will not interfere in the economic policy.
Haider Abbas Jafri (Karachi)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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