“We hope that the ECP will comply with the court’s directions to ensure fair and free upcoming general elections,” says Chief Justice. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Addressing the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) at Aiwan-i-Iqbal on Saturday night, he said that under Article 5 of the Constitution, every citizen and political party was bound to be loyal to the state and obey the Constitution. Only such citizens could be given protection under the Constitution. He added that the Constitution prohibited the formation of a political party which might cause anarchy.
Justice Chaudhry said that the Supreme Court had in its judgments issued directions to the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold fair and free elections.
“We hope that the ECP will comply with the court’s directions to ensure fair and free upcoming general elections,” he added.
He said that it was a direct consequence of the lawyers’ struggle for the restoration of the judiciary that the democratic government was going to complete its constitutional term for the first time in the country’s history. Nobody had dared to derail the democratic process in the country in the last five years, he added.
The chief justice said that the people of Pakistan now expected better governance and opportunity. No longer were fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution a theoretical promise; they were now being granted to the people at their doorsteps, not as a favour but as an obligation.
The denial of rights could radicalise the people and make them vulnerable to the allure of unscrupulous elements who sought to misguide them invoking religion or extremist ideologies, he said.
He said that the National Judicial Policy had paid dividends in reducing the backlog of cases. The state must provide inexpensive and expeditious justice to the people, he added.
The judgments made by the apex court contained a common theme: everybody is equal before the law, he said. The time to compromise on justice on the pretext of state necessity had long past, he added.
Earlier, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Lahore Bar Association President Chaudhry Zulfiqar also addressed the gathering.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (5)
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Your job is to 'punish' the criminals not deliver sermons. How many criminals have you punished mr CJ?? Even in you judgments you deliver sermons rather than punishing the culprits. Why are you fooling people?
Iron man of Pak. Mr Chief you make us feel bit better and safe
Lets see who else claims to be the reason for the 5 years tenure of the current democratic government. The fact is: If the president, the parliament, the political parties in power & Pak army had not played safe the current democratic tenure was seriously crippled by the Hon CJ.
Inspiring to enter politics Mr. CJ. But there are better ways Sir, please follow the honest ways.
Chief says,"All parties and people must obey constitution" except me.