Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday said that the judiciary was an important state organ in a democratic set-up. Addressing the participants at two-day Law Conference here at Sindh High Court Sukkur Bench, he said that the country's survival, its progress and prosperity was linked to following the Constitution in its real spirit.
The CJP said that despite several impediments, the courts in Pakistan were fully alive to their constitutional responsibilities of safeguarding democracy and the Constitution. "An impartial, independent and accountable judicial sector is crucial to the protection of basic human rights, fair resolution of disputes and the sustainable economic and political development", he added.
He hoped that all the state institutions and civil society would join hands for achieving the common goal of transforming Pakistan to a true welfare state by following principles of rule of law, fairness, accountability, transparency and constitutional supremacy. He further said that the bar and the bench together could bring major reforms in the legal and judicial system through mutual
understanding, liaison and co-operation, which would mitigate the problems like backlog of cases, frivolous and protracted litigation, heavy costs and courts fees, non-appearance of lawyers and witnesses and others. "Their joint endeavours with utmost co-operation can facilitate the judicial institution to perform its due role as envisaged in the Constitution and law", he added.
Earlier, a warm welcome was accorded to the Chief Justice of Pakistan on his arrival at Sindh High Court Bench Sukkur. He was accompanied by the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, Justice Mushir Alam. Chief Justice Federal Shariat Court, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Senior Lawyer Abdul Hafeez Pirzada and presidents of all bar councils also attended the conference.