Judicial activism: CJ calls for protecting constitutional values

Says true democracy is unattainable until such values are safeguarded.

LAHORE:

Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has said the dream of true democracy in Pakistan would never be realised as long constitutional values were not protected.

These values included supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, independence of judiciary, provision of affordable justice and the protection of minorities’ rights, he said at the launch ceremony for Smart Identity Cards for lawyers, held at the Punjab Bar Council in Lahore on Saturday.

Justice Jillani said that as long as constitutional values were not protected, the country would have to endure a dysfunctional system. He said the bar and the bench were part and parcel for the judicial system and dispensation of justice, and the judiciary could not dispense justice without the professional cooperation of the lawyers. Support from other state pillars was also critical to ensure provision of justice, he added.

Speaking at the event, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the role of bar was imperative in the disposal of cases as judges could not deliver judgments without its assistance. The quality of decisions also revolved around the quality of arguments advanced by the lawyers.

He said the district judiciary had successfully achieved the target set by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee for clearing the backlog of cases. He said it was a healthy sign that 35 districts of the province had cleared the backlog of old cases.

Justice Bandial said 50% of cases could see the light of day through administrative measures like categorization and distribution of cases. The bifurcation of Lahore courts into two sessions courts was a step with this end in view, he added.

The chief justice also lauded the efforts of PBC and NADRA to issue smart cards to advocates – a move which will help eliminate fake lawyers.


Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2014.