Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has asked the Prime Minister to probe as to why no dam has been constructed in the last 40 years and consequently the country is facing precarious water situation.
Speaking at the 'National Symposium on Alarming Population Growth in Pakistan; Call For Action,' organised by Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in collaboration with Ministry of National Health at the auditorium of the Supreme Court here on Tuesday, the Chief Justice stated, "Resources are limited for the people to consume but the need is infinite."
He regretted that during the last 60 years, most disastrous and alarming issue of population growth remained neglected and as a result, resources and land have contracted. "I am greatly disturbed," added the Chief Justice.
Growing water scarcity will have disastrous effects on Pakistan, said the Chief Justice and asked the Prime Minister to probe into it as to why no dam was constructed during the last 40 years.
He said, "You (Prime Minister) have already mentioned in your speech that the country will be in a very precarious situation by 2025 if dams are not constructed."
The Prime Minister was invited as chief guest at the symposium.
The Chief Justice regretted that there is no water management in Pakistan and 6 to 7 billion gallons of water per annum is being extracted from the land which is destroying aquifer. He said that most important thing for any country is education and faculty of thinking to differentiate between what is good and what is bad and those who get education and use it for their betterment are prosperous.
The Chief Justice also questioned, "Should we have the population to the extent that the country's resources are insufficient to cater for its needs. We need to create awareness through media and masses otherwise after 30 years, population of Pakistan will be 452 million and country's agriculture produce will not be adequate to ensure food security." He said that every child being born is indebted of Rs 121,000.
"All my colleagues (of the Supreme Court) have fully supported this campaign to control population because it guarantees survival of Pakistan," said the Chief Justice and added that a task force was established whose recommendations are ready for implementation by the executive. "This is a menace and we have to control it," remarked the Chief Justice.
The Chief Justice said judiciary has been carrying the burden of over a century old Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 and Code of Civil Procedure 1908, which are being applied to provide justice, adding justice system needs to be updated to meet the requirements of current era and ensure timely justice.
He said these tools are to be presented before the Parliament as the Parliament is the supreme body. These laws, he said, have not been updated and now boycotting the Parliament must stop to update the laws for ensuring better justice system for the people.
The Chief Justice said that a civil judge deals with 160 cases per day during his six hours in court and if cases are divided with the time he spends in the court then each case does not get more than three minutes.
He also underlined the need for increasing the number of judges and updating laws because many laws are now outdated. He also pointed out that number of judges is determined on the basis of a law dating back to 1850 and it also needs to be improved.
The Chief Justice added that the government should take these laws to the Parliament and update them as judiciary is being criticised for delay in cases. He said judiciary is ready to fulfil the dream of Medina state.
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