ISLAMABAD:
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry returned home from his last day as head of country's top court on Wednesday, bringing to end eight historic years in Pakistan's judicial history, reported Express News.
Earlier during the day, the chief justice was part of the three-member bench that heard the contempt of court case regarding the inspector general of the Frontier Corps (FC).
A full court reference in honour of the outgoing chief justice was also held today, as he retires after serving as in the apex court for more than one decade.
The reference was to be held in Court Room No. 1. According to sources in the Registrar Office of the SC, the full court reference was held with all the judges of the apex court in attendance.
Attorney General Munir A Malik, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Syed Qalb-e-Hassan and President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Kamran Murtaza were also scheduled to deliver speeches on the occasion.
Chaudhry addressed the meeting and highlighted the performance of the judiciary regarding the role of apex court.
CJ Chaudhry, whose tenure has been riddled with controverseys, could not but help yet another controversy from cropping up on his last day in office. Journlaists protested what they claimed had been preferential access granted to the film and broadcast images from the full court reference when all other channels were locked out by the court administration.
Journalists resorted to protesting outside the court on this alleged preferential access.
Chaudhry was born on December 12, 1948, and completed his early education from Quetta, Balochistan, with LLB from Sindh. He was elevated to the Supreme Court on February 4, 2000 and appointed as the Chief Justice on June 30, 2005.
Read about the five highs and five lows of his tenure here.
COMMENTS (22)
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very bold and historical C.J who played historical role for maintaining justic for poor peole of pakistan..
Ifthikhar Chaudhury was too scared to act against religious extremists and terrorist. For this reason his name will never feature amongst the 'Greats' in Pakistan
He refused to obey dictator and restore the dignity of S.C.. @brave:
Errrr. Do you remember that he also took oath from the same dictator? Remember, dignity of an individual does not necessarily mean dignity of an institution. How much dignity of judiciary matters to a common person who comes to lower courts every other day after spending his/her money, only to find out the adjournments or strikes in the courts.
We know how much dignity the SC has after Hussain Haqqani simply refused to appear before it?
He never delivered justice to common Pakistani. Just fought with other institutions all the time.
Very long years of lost opportunity.
Dear Chief Justice
In the history your name stands alongside Justice Naseem Hassan Shah and Justice Muneer an Moulvi Mushtaq for sheer abuse of power and pretending concerned while trying best to usurp power from the people.
From violation of Constitution till 1999 to 2007 when you took a stand for protecting your own job while innocent folks mistook it for righteousness and till your retirement today there is rarely a moment if any where you didnt sacrifice the law at the altar of your personal gains.
Sharamnaak!
Your excellency,
There were others before you in yours and other countries of the world, they all spent their life time in the service of upholding the law of the land interpretting it in the interest of justice for the common man. But no one has followed through to match your resilience, persistance, integrity and the urge for justice as you have, making it known to the world at large. Your family and the community as well the people of your country should spend a moment to thank you for making the country be known as the country of Law, where the Supreme Court has the final say in the interpretation of its laws. May God grant you a happy retirement life..
Rex Minor
Apart from election issue, the CJ played a very positive role in his tenure. Au revoir Mr. Iftikhar Chaudhry
These words come to mind, when i think about Chief Justice Chaudhry "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
It was more histrionic than historic tennure. Overall caused a lot of damage to Sanctity of Supereme court
Thank you CJ! You served the country well. Salutation
In deed, he made history for the SC 'good and bad both'.
He refused to obey dictator and restore the dignity of S.C..
With the end of his tenure the justice in Pakistan has strong footing in the field of politics. Is Arsalan also retired or still 'working'?
thank God! time for this dark era of a highly interventionist SC to be left behind.
The Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had played a very important role in upholding the dignity of a common man in Pakistan.
During his entire tenure he has left no stone unturned to provide justice to the people of Pakistan.
His era will be written in the history of judiciary with the golden words.
His boldness and courage has infact given encouragement to the ordinary people who find no other way out, except to knock the door of CJP's office to get the justice due to the failure of past governments system.
People of Pakistan expect that the other judges of lower courts and of high courts will follow the foot steps of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in providing relief to a common man.
Chief Justice has become an icon of the apex court and the judiciary of Pakistan.
May Al-Mighty Allah remain always with him. Ameen.
Let this man go unsung .
End of a dark era.
Curse upon him. He abandoned justice in Pakistan.
Master of Sou Moto
All the lesser mortals will now rejoice.