Justices in the dock

ISLAMABAD:

Subjected to “judicial injustice” over the years, the PML-N has been contemplating to monitor the performance of the judiciary in general and individual judges in particular if it comes to power following the February 2024 general elections, it emerged on Friday.

Feeling that the judiciary had been transgressing its constitutional limits in the past, the former ruling party has also been considering legislating to even reverse the effects of a “decision” or “doctrine”.

Additionally, the party’s broader judicial agenda carries a plan to ensure that detailed judgments are delivered in a given timeframe instead of allowing them to be kept reserved for prolonged periods.

The proposals have come to fore amid PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s frequent reference to the “judicial injustice” from London to Lahore, especially by the Supreme Court’s Panama Papers bench, and he is now taking the narrative into his polls campaign, which he reluctantly started just a couple of days ago.

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Although the intensity of slogan of judges’ accountability has increased and went down depending on politics and other factors over the years, the PML-N leadership revealed that the party’s manifesto dealing with the judicial reforms agenda also included the accountability of judges among other measures.

“It is incumbent on the elected representatives to monitor the performance of individual judges and the judiciary as a branch of the state in the public interest,” PML-N leader Khurram Dastgir shared with The Express Tribune in response to a query.
Dastgir, who has held several key portfolios, continued that the monitoring of judges and judiciary’s performance were necessary.

“The judiciary has been breaching the limits set for it in the Constitution,” he added. To a question about when the PML-N will introduce the accountability of judge and if it was a part of the party’s manifesto, Dastgir explained that it was open to parliament to legislate in order to reverse the effects of a decision or doctrine.

In addition, the PML-N stalwart said it was crucial to ensure that detailed judgments were issued in a reasonable period of time in the interest of transparency and scrutiny by the other branches of the state and people.

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Another PML-N leader, who wished not to be named, said the country’s judicial system required reforms and the party’s manifesto for the next general elections included a complete system for ensuring swift as well as affordable justice for the public.

The statement matches with what Nawaz said while addressing a rally in Lahore on his return from abroad. Giving his nine-point agenda, Nawaz, while refraining himself from directly naming his “usual suspects” -- some former judges and generals -- had questioned their role in his ouster over what he described as “trumped-up charges” and promised judicial reforms.

Over the years, Nawaz and his party remained at loggerheads with the state institutions that ultimately led to his repeated ouster from power.

However, the PML-N supremo managed to make a comeback every time and is again eying to come into power with the intention to hold the ‘mighty ones’ accountable if given a chance to do so.

Despite Nawaz and his party’s promise to carry out judicial reforms, it remains to be seen if the three-time former premier will be able to hold the judges accountable or it will turn out to be merely election campaign rhetoric. The PML-N’s secretary general and information secretary were approached for their comments but they could not be reached.