Top judges seek ‘adequate security’

Top judges on Saturday recommend adequate security for themselves and their families in wake of perceived threats.

ISLAMABAD: The country’s top judges on Saturday recommended adequate security for themselves and their families in the wake of escalating violence and perceived threats to their lives.

The proposal came during a meeting of top judges at the Supreme Court building in the federal capital. The meeting, chaired by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was attended by the chief judges of all high courts and the Federal Shariat Court. Participants expressed great concern at the security of the top judiciary, particularly in the wake of intelligence reports of threats both to them and their families.

A press release issued after the meeting says that a presentation given by the interior secretary, the FIA director, chief secretary, home secretary and PPO Punjab prima facie suggests that there are threats to the life of Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, the chief justice of the Lahore High Court.

However, the authorities are required to complete their investigations independently and inform the Supreme Court registrar about the findings, the press statement said.

The superior judiciary, as well as district courts, have to play an independent role for the enforcement of the constitution and rule of law, therefore it has been decided that both the federal and provincial governments will ensure the security and safety of the judges of the superior courts without compromising their integrity, neutrality and independence, whatsoever.

The judges resolved that whatever the facts of the alleged plot were it needed to be dealt with in accordance with the law without giving any concession or making a compromise and whosoever is found responsible must be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

The security of advocates in different parts of the country has also been found inadequate, particularly in respect to the cases of M Sardar Khan from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Raja Riaz and Sardar Zulfiqar from Karachi, M Zaman Marri, Wilayat Hussain and Munir Ahmed Mirwani (reported missing and no recovery effected yet) from Balochistan.

Similarly, an incident involving the son-in-law of Justice Asad Munir of the Lahore High Court has not been dealt with properly, so far.

The interior secretary has been directed to remain in touch with the concerned authorities and make all possible efforts for bringing the culprits to book.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2010.