'Truth shall prevail': CJP Khosa slams 'malicious' anti-judiciary campaign
Full-court reference held at SC to bid farewell to outgoing chief justice
ISLAMABAD:
After the tumultuous last month of his brief stint as the Chief Justice of Pakistan, which literally stirred up a storm in the country, Asif Saeed Khosa bowed out on Friday while summing up the guiding philosophy of his professional career in a poem by the progressive feminist poet Fahmida Riaz: “Follow your conscience, do what is right; Unfazed, undeterred by consequences.”
The last two judgments of the superior judiciary involving a former and an incumbent army chief, especially a bizarre rider to the death sentence awarded to Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, have shook the country, triggering an outcry on social media.
“A malicious campaign has been initiated against me and the judiciary in general. The allegations are baseless and incorrect. We know the limits of our powers and we know that the truth shall always prevail,” said Chief Justice Khosa, who retires today, while addressing a full-court reference at the Supreme Court on Friday.
Attendees at the reception included all apex court judges, the vice-chairperson of Pakistan Bar Council, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan, and others.
Justice Khosa’s remarks were partly in reference to a claim by a top government law officer that the outgoing chief justice, in a candid chat with media persons, had admitted that he had influenced the verdict of the special court against former army chief Gen (retd) Musharraf.
Musharraf has been sentenced to death by the three-judge special court for abrogating the Constitution by proclaiming emergency rule in the country in Nov 2007. The grisly ‘three-day hanging’ rider to the sentence in the detailed judgment by the presiding judge, Justice Waqar Seth has drawn scathing criticism by the government and the military.
CJP-designate Khosa to sparingly use suo motu powers
‘Learn to compromise’, some may advice,
‘Scary the consequences’, they may apprise;
Robbed you may be of all you possessed,
Strewn with robbers is this perilous quest;
Tragedies, mishaps may befall, beware!
For tragedies often befall those who dare;
Cherish every priceless moment thou have,
For a moment’s eternity is thy breath’s slave;
This moment shall pass, not to come again,
Do what thou think is right – worth doing,
Fear not tomorrow, defiance goes not in vain”
Sindh plagued by corruption, says Justice Gulzar
Born in the southern Punjab district of Dera Ghazi Khan on Dec 21, 1954, Asif Saeed Khosa obtained his law degree from the United Kingdom in 1976 and was considered one of the country’s top jurists on criminal law. He had replaced Justice (retd) Mian Saqib Nisar as the chief justice of Pakistan.
Justice Khosa will be succeeded by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, who is scheduled to be sworn in on Saturday as the 27th chief justice of Pakistan.
Speaking at the full-court reference, the incoming chief justice said his predecessor would remain an inspiration for the judiciary. “Clear, lucid and often sprinkled with literary allusions, Justice Khosa’s decisions have been a delight to read, for both those, within the legal profession and those without,” Justice Gulzar said.
“Especially, in the realm of criminal law, Justice Khosa has done the nation a great service by clarifying once murky questions and ensuring that the criminal defendants have access to the procedural protections, necessary for justice to prevail,” he added.
As the top judge, he said, Justice Khosa “ventured into innovations to ensure effective and fast delivery of justice.”
After the tumultuous last month of his brief stint as the Chief Justice of Pakistan, which literally stirred up a storm in the country, Asif Saeed Khosa bowed out on Friday while summing up the guiding philosophy of his professional career in a poem by the progressive feminist poet Fahmida Riaz: “Follow your conscience, do what is right; Unfazed, undeterred by consequences.”
The last two judgments of the superior judiciary involving a former and an incumbent army chief, especially a bizarre rider to the death sentence awarded to Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, have shook the country, triggering an outcry on social media.
“A malicious campaign has been initiated against me and the judiciary in general. The allegations are baseless and incorrect. We know the limits of our powers and we know that the truth shall always prevail,” said Chief Justice Khosa, who retires today, while addressing a full-court reference at the Supreme Court on Friday.
Attendees at the reception included all apex court judges, the vice-chairperson of Pakistan Bar Council, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan, and others.
Justice Khosa’s remarks were partly in reference to a claim by a top government law officer that the outgoing chief justice, in a candid chat with media persons, had admitted that he had influenced the verdict of the special court against former army chief Gen (retd) Musharraf.
Musharraf has been sentenced to death by the three-judge special court for abrogating the Constitution by proclaiming emergency rule in the country in Nov 2007. The grisly ‘three-day hanging’ rider to the sentence in the detailed judgment by the presiding judge, Justice Waqar Seth has drawn scathing criticism by the government and the military.
CJP-designate Khosa to sparingly use suo motu powers
‘Learn to compromise’, some may advice,
‘Scary the consequences’, they may apprise;
Robbed you may be of all you possessed,
Strewn with robbers is this perilous quest;
Tragedies, mishaps may befall, beware!
For tragedies often befall those who dare;
Cherish every priceless moment thou have,
For a moment’s eternity is thy breath’s slave;
This moment shall pass, not to come again,
Do what thou think is right – worth doing,
Fear not tomorrow, defiance goes not in vain”
Sindh plagued by corruption, says Justice Gulzar
Born in the southern Punjab district of Dera Ghazi Khan on Dec 21, 1954, Asif Saeed Khosa obtained his law degree from the United Kingdom in 1976 and was considered one of the country’s top jurists on criminal law. He had replaced Justice (retd) Mian Saqib Nisar as the chief justice of Pakistan.
Justice Khosa will be succeeded by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, who is scheduled to be sworn in on Saturday as the 27th chief justice of Pakistan.
Speaking at the full-court reference, the incoming chief justice said his predecessor would remain an inspiration for the judiciary. “Clear, lucid and often sprinkled with literary allusions, Justice Khosa’s decisions have been a delight to read, for both those, within the legal profession and those without,” Justice Gulzar said.
“Especially, in the realm of criminal law, Justice Khosa has done the nation a great service by clarifying once murky questions and ensuring that the criminal defendants have access to the procedural protections, necessary for justice to prevail,” he added.
As the top judge, he said, Justice Khosa “ventured into innovations to ensure effective and fast delivery of justice.”