ISLAMABAD: Remarking on the conduct of parliament members, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja stated that the servants of the public forget their true place and begin considering themselves the owners of the country, Express News reported on Friday.
“Parliament members are merely servants of the people and nothing more, they even get paid by the public,” said Khawaja.
He is a member of the five-member bench that is hearing petitions against the contempt law in the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heading the bench, resumed the hearing for petitions lodged against the Contempt of Court Act 2012 passed earlier.
He said that everyone was collectively striving to maintain a democratic system in the country. “The constitution has kept us united,” said Justice Chaudhry.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan, after it received the records for the parliamentary debate that led to the formation of the contempt law, stated that the records would help shed light on the reasons behind the law’s conception.
The court had earlier ordered the federation to submit records of the parliamentary debate.
Chief Justice Chaudhry, on Thursday, rubbished murmurs of a constitutional crisis if the new contempt law was struck down by the apex court.
The Supreme Court has already shot down the government’s plea for forming a full bench on the matter, as well as a request for adjourning the hearing for a longer period of time to allow its counsels to prepare their arguments.
COMMENTS (45)
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First of all Justice Khawaja is one of the best judges of Pakistan and has an impeccable character and record as a judge. Secondly, most of you are taking the statement of Justice Khawaja in the wrong context. He is saying this because people and politicians of Pakistan have forgotten that politicians are public servants. Just look at the treatment general public is given by these politicians.
i do not think so these are servant of the country they are liar liar in every filed of they makes fools to the people in the real life you can meet him they say we have no time for public if they are public servant i do not think so pakistan going very condiotion power faliuer why they are not speak up public matters why they are not talk they are just passing the time doing forigen trips and staying in expeness hotel they are want protcal and police scceurity why they are not think like comman man
Pakistani parliamentarians and the public servants??????? Very strange How this is possible in Pakistan that Pakistani parliamentarians could announce/declare themselves Pakistani nation's servants and could server Pakistan and its nation honestly,sincerely and truly??????? They are Pakistani parliamentarians not any other countries' parliamentarians highly respected Justice Khawaja........
@Enlightened: Not in Pakistan only, all over the world politicians in the form of the government of the day are responsible for the finance of the nation. Give time for the democrcy to settle.
Judges are not paid by Zardari's or PPP. SC has to provide justice but SC is not there to please Zardari's, Sharif's, Chaudharies, or other politicians.
Judiciary has crossed its limits...somehow it should be reigned in in the bounds of the constitution...
@Jibran, two wrongs don't make a right. Your mentality is the same that the corrupt politicians follow. 'Oh, we are corrupt? so are you!'. Besides, the damage done to Pakistan in the last 4-5 years of 'democracy' is way worse than anything the military or judiciary has ever done.
Just look at Pakistan debts, power situation, law and order and mass massacre in karachi, all the corruption. This party wins again next time and it might as well be last nail in coffin for this country :(
and it saddens me to think of that , as a pakistani.
Dear Mister Khawaja! The parliamentarians are our representatives. We have the right to criticize them, bash them, but that does not mean that you as a public servant too have ANY right to ridicule our representatives. Don't cross your limits! You talk a lot about contempt of court; did your conscience make you pause a second, when you indulged in the contempt of the people of Pakistan, and the Constitution while taking an oath under PCO?
@Asad Murtaza: And the generals and judges travel in Suzukis?
@dr j tipu: Wow. How long did it take you to come up with that conspiracy theory?
totally agree with Justice Khwaja...............offcourse parliamentarians think they own the entire nation, and looknig at the comments above, i can only feel desperate for the mentality of our educated class, who are defending the rubber stamped parliament their chosen ones(knowing the mega corrption scandals in voting and the actual percentage of vote)
Very well-said by SC.
These parliamentarians who now visit the Parliament in 4x4s and Toyota Hiluxes and different imported Sedans. They should know they're there to serve the people.
Our leaders have forgotten their rightful place. I'm glad SC is trying to fix this broken banana republic in bits and pieces.
We're with you SC and CJ!
The self appointed PCO judges are called lords and they actually think they are. It has gone in their head but they talk Islamic equality for all others. The MP's can be thrown out after 5 years by the electorate. However, the judges and generals keep plundering till "they" decide to leave. Not a single judge of SC or a general has ever been held accountable, this is not an exception but the rule written by these paid govt servants. To be elected by the people is the biggest honor that anybody can wish for but some would never be able to get elected.
@Malik Hassan: Well----what can you say if you do find some truth in Faisal Raza Abidi's apprehensions or allegations. I watched this all and can not disagree with him, at least, not with any conviction.
@Sultan Khan GREAT KHAN:KHAN
judicial malfunction. No engineer.
CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry is Criminal, yes in latest program of AryNews Pakistan Tonight Faisal Raza Abadi said that CJ is criminal and he destroy Pakistan if we not get him out watch this video. http://goo.gl/HqaEl
Wait. Aren't parliamentarians the 'representatives' of the people? Pakistan civil service and the judiciary are the actual servants of the people.
And the comment comes from someone who draws much much higher salary from the taxes paid by the people, files false claims to bag multiple plots, and gladly and readily assures his loyalty to a dictator under a PCO, instead of siding with the same people and the constitution.
Seems like Zia Ul Haq's soul has got into him.
In the past, it were military dictators who used to look at the public and their representatives with contempt and talk about them in a condescending tone. Now it is the judges who are fitting in their boots. Like Ch. Manzoor said this is judicial coup. The remark by Just. Khawaja itself is shameful, and must be condemned by all parliamentarians as well as civil society. Even though some opportunists in the assembly like to play their political battles in the trenches of the supreme court.
And your lordship thinks that it is the king of this realm? Shame shame
@Nasir Mahmood: Exactly... They think they are overlords.
Parliamentarians are the born rulers and not the public servants.
Who says they are the public servants?
Parliamentarians in five years are one time beggers. They go to their respective contituencies, meet the masses and beg for the votes.
Once the parliamentarians are elected, they don't show their faces to the masses.
"Judges are the real rulers". That is what Mr.Khwaja really wanted to say. Dictators are everywhere in Pakistan.
what do these judges want???????????????????
To think these comments from the judges come right out along side ones claiming that they aren't arrogant. I really can't think of a better example of condescending and arrogant people with a superiority complex. Right when I think they're toning it down and coming back to Earth they crank it up to new levels previously thought not possible. Too bad the Olympics don't give medals for who can carry the biggest chip on their shoulder. ...and I'm in the perfect position to judge it as well. It's well within my range to be a condescending douche so I have "takes one to know one" on my side.
“Parliament members are merely servants of the people and nothing more, they even get paid by the public,” said Khawaja. Judges are "ME LORD", not paid ?
you are a public servant too.....mr so called justice.
What are the Judges , they are paid salary from the taxpayers money too their job is to provide justice for down trodden people of the country, may I humbly ask the judges to go out and visit District courts,High Courts and see are the people getting justice ???????
The arrogance that emanates from his statement is stunning. Being a public servant is an honour sir and least I remind you you are a public servant too.
“Parliament members are merely servants of the people and nothing more, they even get paid by the public,”
Yes perhaps in the rest of the World, but not in Pakistan. Their democracy is based on different concept, namely plunder, create Comittees that do not report and playing denial and blame others games, while the Country goes Ashtray !
Its true that Parliamentarians are public servants but in Pakistan they consider themselves the custodian of the public money.
Pray tell me what are the judges to the people??
Unfortunately judiciary in Pakistan to prove their supremacy is demolishing the democracy brick by brick. These are the same people who every time legalized the dictatorships and smilingly bent every law to make dictators happy till the boots reached them.
But they are "Elected" public servants, elected for a time period on the basis of objective for which majority is convinced about. After that time period they are accountable before their electorates. That is the process of democracy. While Judges are "Paid" public servants: paid to do their duty (and not to do politics, which is not their jurisdiction).
Said the honorable Justice public servant nominated by the CJP appointed by the President who is elected by the same legally elected "public servants and nothing more".
Parliament and the parliamentarians is there to serve us, we the people created this institution and pay for its upkeep and yes its members are there to ensure that our will is done. You in the judiciary are hired on our behalf by those who we elected (and form a Government) to man the judicial machinery of our country, do you understand where your place is in the hierarchy here. Khaawajajee, does it make more sense to you now ? The members of our Parliament are elected by us and you are hired by them through the Government we authorized them to form.
Yes my lords, neither the people of Pakistan nor their elected representatives but you who are paid from the public kitty and are 100% government servants are the real owners of the country. You are ploughing in the fields, working in the factories, offices, shops clinics etc. and you and your children have been martyred several times defending the borders of the country. It is because of you that the sun and moon are shining and there is life on earth. "Long live Free Judiciary".
No doubt, what about judges?
Yes so true and people pay the parliamentarians salary/benefits to do their work .
Contempt law is violation of article 204 of the Constitution in my opinion