Rule of law: CJ sees justice as key source of stability

Lauds initiative to set up Human Rights Directorate.

PESHAWAR:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said the nefarious designs to destabilise the country cannot see the light of the day, if the justice is delivered to the people.

“When fundamental rights of the public are protected, no one becomes a puppet in the hands of the enemies,” he said while addressing judges, lawyers of Peshawar High Court (PHC), Supreme Court registry bench and district and sessions courts after the inauguration of Human Rights Directorate.

He said the best way to counter terrorism in the society was to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens adding that people feeling aggrieved, approach superior courts to redress of their grievances. “This shows the confidence of the people on the courts,” the CJ told participants.



Justice Chaudhry said the Constitution of Pakistan ensured protection of the basic human rights of every citizen. “Whether you live in Shangla, Karachi or Quetta, you have equal rights as citizens. The state has no authority to make any law against the fundamental human rights,” he added.

The CJ said the judiciary across the country had been struggling hard for the protection of the basic human rights of the people but it was the prime responsibility of the state to treat the poor and the rich equally when it came to fundamental rights.

“It is a part of the rule of law to ban the discretionary power when it comes to the provision of basic human rights,” he said.

Appreciating the initiative to set up Human Rights Directorate, the chief justice said those who could not afford the lawyer’s fee to process their cases could easily get justice through this institution.

“The judges who deal with cases of militants and terrorism should be given training so that culprits are given punishment. Judges should be given proper training in cyber crimes because no legislation exists for this purpose,” he added.

On this occasion, the PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan said the Judiciary had taken suo moto notices on a number of cases particularly of human rights nature and the current rape case in Lahore was an example in this regard. “The judiciary has unearthed billion rupees worth corruption cases and has brought back more money to the national exchequer than NAB recovered in last five years,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2013.