Independent judiciary: ‘Courts do not answer to govts’

Lower court judges whose decisions had been upheld by high courts would receive awards.

MULTAN:

“The judiciary is an independent institution answerable to no one but the standards of justice,” Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said on Tuesday.

He was addressing lawyers at the inauguration of a bar room at the Vehari District Bar Association. The chief justice lauded the competence and efficiency of the lower courts. Bandial said that the reason why petitioners approached higher courts used to be the non provision of justice in the lower courts. “However, that is slowly changing,” he said, “As subordinate courts have upheld the standards of legal justice.”

The chief justice said that the courts were not subservient to the government. That would be a grave infringement, he said.

Bandial said, “We only deliver unbiased justice...the government, judiciary and lawyers would do well to remember that.”



The superior judiciary has helped resolve problems faced by lawyers, he said. “The biggest contribution of the High Courts is that they have solved problems lawyers had been facing for 60 years,” he said. “That is the reason why we have witnessed the least lawyers’ strikes in the country over the past few years.”

He said that he had directed courts in all districts to send him names of judges of lower courts whose decisions had been upheld in the High Court. “They will receive special appreciation and awards for their services in providing justice,” he said.

Acid attack

The Lahore High Court today took notice of a press report that three motorcyclists had thrown acid on a youth over an ‘old enmity’ at Laaleywali-Badiana, Pasrur tehsil.

The Sialkot district and sessions judge has been directed to look into the matter and submit a report on steps taken by police in the case.
Muhammad Hussain was reportedly standing near his house when three men threw acid at him and fled. Hussain suffered severe burns to his face, arms and chest. He was moved to Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from Pasrur Civil Hospital due to his critical condition. The victim’s family said an old enmity may have been the motive behind the attack. The police have begun their investigation but do not have any suspects as yet.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2014.