Strong judiciary a must for stronger country: Justice Shah

Judge's responsibility is to protect common man and speak truth

KARACHI:

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has said that judges have a great responsibility to abide by the rules.

"If the judiciary is strong then nothing will happen to the country," he expressed these views while addressing the annual dinner of the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) on Saturday evening.

Apart from the SC judge, Chief Justice Sindh High Court Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, other judges and a large number of lawyers also attended the function.

Justice Shah said that the top court could take suo motu notice, however, there should be a five-member bench for suo motu hearings and the bench could only be formed on the basis of seniority.

He said that technology has solved many questions. "I believe in constitutional democracy. The rule of law and human rights are important components of democracy. "The impartiality of judiciary is important in democracy. Hitler and Stalin also made rules. The important thing is how you protect the people. Democracy is for the common people.

Their rights must be protected. If there is a rule of law in democracy, only then there will be real democracy. It is the duty of a judge to protect it.

The judge's responsibility is to defend the law. If the judiciary is strong then democracy will be strong. A judge must be courageous. It doesn't matter who is in front of him. The judge is the one who speaks the truth before the powerful."