‘Religious intolerance will not take us anywhere’

Chief Justice was chairing a meeting of the National Judicial Policymaking Committee.

LAHORE:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani last week stressed the need for religious tolerance.

He was chairing a meeting of the National Judicial Policymaking Committee.

He said the country was passing through a critical juncture in its history and faced many problems, including extremism and intolerance.

He said that by promoting tolerance and protecting rights of citizens, a harmonious society could be established.

He said the judiciary could play a vital role in promoting tolerance.

Self-immolation

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court last week rejected a police report regarding self-immolation by a girl student of grade 10 and directed the Multan district and sessions judge to order a fresh inquiry into the incident and submit its report in six weeks.

The police had claimed the deceased was never raped and that she concocted the story to implicate family rivals.

The bench led by chief justice was hearing the case suo motu.

Expressing displeasure with the police report, the chief justice remarked how could a girl set herself on fire only to settle scores with her family’s opponents.

Proceedings against MNA stopped

Lahore High Court has stayed proceedings of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against MNA Javed Latif.

Latif said Muhammad Afzal, a voter in his constituency NA-133 Sheikhupura, had moved an application with the ECP seeking his disqualification by alleging that he had a fake graduation degree.

He said the court had declared his degree genuine.

He said under Article 218 of the Constitution, the ECP was not authorised to hold such proceedings after the elections.

After hearing initial arguments, the court restrained the ECP from proceedings against the MNA.

The court will resume hearing in two weeks.

Construction of jails

The LHC came down hard on the government for a 10-year delay in construction of new jails in the province and hinted at summoning the chief minister in case of further delay.

The court was hearing a petition for improving jail conditions and construction of new jails in the province.

In compliance of the court’s previous order, reports were submitted on behalf of the secretaries of Finance, Home, Communication and Works and Planning and Development departments.

The judge expressed serious dissatisfaction with the reports and remarked that if the Metro Bus system could be completed in nine months, why not new prisons after 10 years?

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2014.