Few judges have full command over English: CJP

Says out of 250 applications for scholarship, only one was eligible

KARACHI: Only a few learned judges in the entire country have full command over the English language, Express News quoted Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali as saying on Sunday.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) was speaking at a conference on judicial education at Marriot Hotel in Karachi where he also presided over a session on ‘strategic vision for training the judiciary’.



Judicial education, he said, can help resolve several issues of the rulings, but most of the judges have no knowledge of English, Chief Justice Jamali said.



He also advised the judges to learn the international language.

Citing an example, he said that the judicial institution received around 250 applications for a scholarship, but only one could qualify for it while the rest of the aspirants failed.

Urging the judicial fraternity to change their mindset, he said that it would help cope with issues.

Expressing the hope about improving the system, he said that it was necessary for officers of the judiciary to demonstrate an eagerness for knowledge.

Underscoring the need for assigning higher importance to better basic education, the CJP insisted that special courses on English language should be introduced for training judges.

Discussing the subject of appointing retired judges in courts, he said that the institutional lack of strength had left the judiciary with no other option, but to re-hire retired judges. He said that the institution needed young blood and technology to overcome various issues.



Other senior judges also spoke on the occasion.

The event was jointly organised by Legal Aid Society and Sindh Judicial Academy.

Topics covered during the event included identifying and teaching judicial skills, enhancing decision-making process, boosting courtroom communication and also the future of judicial education.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2016.