Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday said that water crisis is a great threat to the stability of the country. Addressing a gathering of judges from district judiciary at Punjab Judicial Academy, the CJP said new water dams were critical for the survival of Pakistan. There had been a criminal negligence on part of those who failed to address the water crisis, he said and added that international conspiracies were there against construction of new dams in the country.
The CJP, however, admitted that he might have failed to put his own house (judiciary) in order as per the expectations of the people of the country and said, "I have no regret to make this confession." The Chief Justice also said, "I would not justify my suo motu action in human rights cases at this forum.
He said the justice system could not be compared with the fundamental issues of people like health and education. "We have ensured provision of medicines in many hospitals," he added. Commenting on the slow pace of civil litigation, the chief justice said that amendments in substantive law in accordance with needs of modern time were necessary for the swift provision of justice. Amendment in procedural law only could not serve the very purpose of speedy justice, he added.
He lamented that even in the era of information technology the role of "patwari" was still there for transfer of a piece of land. It took more than five years normally to obtain a "succession certificate" from a civil court, he said. Chief Justice Nisar said unfortunately the overall decay in the society also compromised the integrity of judges. He said the judges were also responsible for multiplying litigation due to their incontinency. He said the task of dispensing quick justice could not be achieved unless judges would work with passion. "A minor mistake of a civil judge would waste precious years of litigants," the chief justice said.
He urged the judges of lower courts to point out, if they found, conflicting judgments of higher courts on one point of law. "We are not here to perpetuate mistakes but to correct them," he told the judges. "We all have to lay sacrifices for our posterity," CJP concluded.