Address to lawyers: CJ gives judiciary credit for govt term completion

Nobody dared derail democratic process, says chief justice, linking this with the efforts of a strong judiciary.

LAHORE:

The fact that a democratic government is going to complete its term for the first time in history was the direct consequence of the lawyers’ struggle, said Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while addressing the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) at Aiwan-e-Iqbal on Saturday.

During this tenure nobody “dared derail the democratic process in the country”, said the chief justice, linking this with the efforts of a strong judiciary.

Under Article 5 of the Constitution, every citizen and political party is to maintain loyalty towards the state and obey the state’s writ. The top judge said that in keeping with this clause, only citizens who respect the Constitution can enjoy the protection disbursed by law.

Regarding the elections, Chaudhry said the Supreme Court, through its judgments, had issued directives to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding transparent polls in the country. “We hope that the ECP would comply with the court’s directions to ensure free and fair elections,” he added.

“Rights are now being delivered at people’s door steps - not as a favour, but as an obligation. The Constitution has empowered the Supreme Court to take notice of every case of rights’ violation,” said the chief justice, adding that Supreme Court judgments were based on the denominator which says that “everyone is equal before the law.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2013.