Sukkur visit: Judiciary not someone’s personal property: Asma
President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jehangir has said that the judiciary is not someone’s personal property, rather it’s an independent institution with an independent bar.
While addressing the Sindh High Court Bar Association in Sukkur on Thursday, she said judges have been given the authority to dispense justice, not to settle personal scores.
“You are nothing without us,” Asma said, adding that the bench and the bar have equal respect for each other. She said that enlightenment is a precondition for a judge and having political awareness does not just qualify to be a judge.
Expressing sorrow over the murder of lawyer Mohammad Ali Dahiri in Nawabshah, the SCBA president demanded of the government to bring to justice whoever is responsible for his murder.
Asma also warned to launch a strong protest movement if two missing lawyers, whom she alleged were picked up by agencies, were not released within 15 days.
She said that the kidnapping of innocent people by the intelligence agencies had started in 2003 and the process was discontinued when the present government took office.
However, she added, after judging that the present government is toothless intelligence agencies have once again started the same activities in Balochistan as well as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Meanwhile, in his emotional welcome address, President High Court Bar Association Sukkur Syed Bachal Shah strongly criticised the verdict of the Lahore High Court, barring the President from indulging in politics, said that the president is elected by senators, members of National Assembly and all provincial assemblies.
“When the president is elected by the politicians and sent to the presidency what he is supposed to do?” he said. “Is he supposed to play cards or watch movies?” he added. He also demanded holding high level inquiries into the May 12 mayhem, the Abbotabad incident and to stop drone attacks.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2011.
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