Speaking out: CJ pays rare tribute to sitting parliament
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry on Saturday lauded the role of the sitting parliament in nullifying all the unconstitutional steps that former president Pervez Musharraf had taken.
At the same time, he also gave credit to the sitting judiciary for upholding its independence and becoming a harbinger for a revolution.
He said it was a “good omen” for democracy that the sitting assemblies were about to complete their constitutional term of five years in a democratic set-up.
“Now nobody can even dare to cause harm to the system— it’s evident from the experience of the past four years”, he said, without naming any institution in particular.
The chief justice was speaking at a reception held in his honour at the High Court Bar Association in Abbottabad. The Peshawar High Court’s Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, judges of the high court and district based judiciary also attended the function.
The chief justice said all institutions are required to run the system in line with the law of the land, adding that any unconstitutional step would be against the will and mood of the general public of Pakistan because there was a difference between parliaments of the past and the present.
Bringing up the past, he spoke about the actions of former president Musharraf on November 3, 2007. He said that there was no resistance from any institution against the abrogation of the constitution except for lawyers, journalists and civil society, who stood by the judiciary.
He said that institutions were now strengthened because the development and prosperity of the country hinged on strong institutions. Addressing the Asghar Khan case, he said that the doors have been shut on judges taking oath in contravention to the Constitution.
He urged the lawyers present to help strengthen the present system as the judiciary was supposed to deliver judgments and the executive branch was bound to implement those decisions. He added that the judiciary and bar were the two wheels of the judicial system and the independent bar always served as the guards of the judiciary.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2012.
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1732523125-0/Express-Tribune-(7)1732523125-0-270x192.webp "atc approves physical remand of pti workers arrested during protest in islamabad")
Long live the chief justice ! The change is already there
The CJ was the one who approved, regularized and rubber stamped the decision of Gen Pervez Musharaf. It is sad how gullible the people of Pakistan. Can any sane activist ask why it took so long to start proceedings on the Asghar Khan case. Army has sacrificed for soveriegnity of Pakistan. The judiciary has been all along approving the wrong doings of mis guided generals. It was the one who backed General Zia and hanged Bhutto. Can anyone ask where is Arsalan's case. Jago Pakistanio.
When a terminated Justice takes to the street to get his rights (?) and when he initiates a political party to organise a lashkar and attack the capital to be re-instated, only he can still believe in constitution and courts, not me. How I can justice from courts when already two million cases are pending.
Vienna,November 11,2011 Rejoice,judiciary is supreme.That is how it should be.Constitution is in the hands of judiciary, when the lawyers are not engaged in showering rose petals on murderers. After all the lawyers make up one wheel of the judiciary. When they go beating policemen and reporters at court premises, the wheels of judiciary are engaged in taking in fresh air. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
Those who boycotted 2008 election must be regretting now.