FCC CJ vows equal rights, justice for all

Says protecting minority rights moral obligation

LAHORE:

Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court Aminuddin Khan on Saturday vowed to protect the constitutional rights of every Pakistani without discrimination, saying the judiciary remained committed to upholding equality and justice for all citizens.

Addressing the Justice A.R. Cornelius Conference organised by the Minority Rights Forum in Lahore, the chief justice described former chief justice Alvin Robert Cornelius as one of Pakistan's greatest judges, who served the country impartially throughout his career.

Justice Aminuddin Khan said the protection of minority rights was not only a constitutional obligation but also a moral responsibility. He assured participants that, as chief justice, he would ensure equal protection of constitutional rights for every citizen.

Speaking at the conference, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the government, executive and judiciary were all bound to function within the limits of the Constitution.

He said around 6.6 million minorities were living in Pakistan and announced that the Minorities Commission would begin functioning before the upcoming budget.

FCC Judge Ali Baqar Najafi said the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees religious freedom and the protection of minority rights. Referring to Article 20 of the Constitution, he said every citizen has the right to live according to their religious beliefs.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi said religious freedom means respecting one's own faith without interfering in the faith of others, adding that the constitutional protection of religious freedom reflects the v ision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said safeguarding religious freedom was not only about protecting minorities but also about protecting the Constitution itself.

At the conclusion of the conference, shields were distributed among participants and a cake was cut in memory of Justice Cornelius.

Later, while speaking to the media after attending the conference, Law Minister Tarar said there were currently no signs of a 28th constitutional amendment, stressing that any move towards constitutional changes would only proceed after consultation with coalition partners and other stakeholders.

He added that the government was functioning under a coalition setup where even ordinary legislation required consultation, making constitutional amendments impossible without consensus.

The law minister further said the consultation process would move forward whenever coalition parties gave a signal, adding that all stakeholders would be taken on board because certain matters require national consensus.

Referring to the 2009 constitutional reforms, he said consensus at the time was achieved through national dialogue and that any future process would follow the same path. He clarified that no final draft of any constitutional amendment currently existed and said the contours of any proposed amendment could not be determined until a formal draft was prepared.