Punjab

Bar Associations: ‘ZA Bhutto case is more political than legal’

Asma Jahangir says judiciary needs to show more respect to Pakistan’s other democratic institutions.

Owais Jafri April 14, 2011

MULTAN:

Supreme Court Bar Association president Asma Jahangir has said that if the judiciary wants to remain independent, it needs to show more respect to Pakistan’s other democratic institutions.

Jahangir, addressing lawyers at the Multan chapter of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, said that it was easier to fight a dictator than combating ‘judicial dictatorship’. The system of justice, she said, needed implementation and not just words.

Jahangir said that the government was not choosing the right lawyers for the prosecution of its cases. Justice can only prevail if there is an unbiased, independent judiciary, she said.

About the re-opening of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case, she said that it was more a political case than a legal case and should be resolved politically.

Jahangir was accompanied by MNA Naseem Chaudhry and lawyer Khalid Ranjha.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (2)

Munir Saami | 13 years ago | Reply At this critical juncture of Pakistan's judicial history, Asma Janangir should devote her energies to assist Babar Awan as well as the Supreme Court in strengthening the reference. That will help take any politics out of the reference. As the president of SC Bar, she should also desist form various insinuations that she makes against the SC and its judges. As students of Pakistan's politics and history and as children of true founders of Pakistan, many of us understand the damage done by Justice Munir and other subsequent judges. There is a very tiny glimmer of hope that things may change and judiciary will regain the trust. Let's help them instead of playing politics. I am certain that she understands article 188 and should herself work towards invoking this article that allows the judicial review.

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply Asma Jehangir speaks the Truth, but whom is she addressing, the selected few from the intelligensia or the masses? The CJ understands the emotions of the masses and does not undermine the intellectual capacity of the President of the Supreme Court Bar.We all know Mr Zardari and his cotorie want to complete their term and then escape to the never never land from where they cannot be extradited like two other figures wanted for henious crimes.

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