Accountability: New chief justice wants death penalty for corrupt

He says current punishment for corruption –10 years in prison – is not enough of a deterrent.

LAHORE: The new chief justice of the Lahore High Court has in his maiden public address called for new legislation to make corruption a crime punishable by death.

“The roots of corruption are very deep in our country. It has become part of our lifestyles.

This menace can be eradicated only through very strong punishments, which should be no less than the death sentence,” said Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry at an event organised by the National Accountability Bureau to mark Anti-corruption Day. He was sworn in as chief justice earlier in the day.

He said the current punishment for corruption –10 years in prison – was not enough of a deterrent.

“In the recent past, both dictators and civil governments have come to power on the pretext of weeding out corruption, but they themselves have indulged in corruption at a colossal level,” he said.

Chief Justice Chaudhry said non-Muslim nations seemed more ethical than Muslim nations. “We do not care about ethics and we do not hesitate to cheat each other. On the other hand many non-Muslim countries follow basic human values.”

The chief justice also distributed prizes and inaugurated an exhibition of photographs and paintings about corruption by students.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2010.