CJP pledges continued efforts to ensure rule of law

Judiciary is well aware of its issues and it is top priority to resolve these, CJP says

ISLAMABAD: Newly-appointed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali vowed on Monday to make the Supreme Judicial Council effective for hearing complaints against superior courts, which are being filed under Article 209 of the Constitution.

"In the Supreme Court Human Rights cell, 26,731 complaints were received wherein 280,034 applications have been disposed of. The pending complaints in Human Resources cell are 11,002," the CJP said, while addressing a ceremony on the beginning of the new judicial year 2015-16.

Read: New era: Justice Anwar Zaheer sworn in as SC’s 24th chief justice

In view of the principle of self accountability, Jamali said, "The policy of self accountability should not be one sided as the bar should also adopt the same principle and decide all complaints against lawyers as well."

Further, he added that the judiciary was well aware of issues pertaining to the delay in disposing off cases, adding that it would be included as a top priority to dispose off cases at their earliest.

Following the retirement of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Anwar Zaheer Jamali was sworn as the 24th Chief Justice of Pakistan on Septmeber 10.

Read: Judicial body expected to reappoint two sacked judges

In May 1998, Justice Jamali was appointed as judge of the Sindh High Court and reappointed as Chief Justice High Court of Sindh in August 2008.

Earlier, the outgoing chief justice of Pakistan, Khawaja, called for an alternative judicial system in order to redress the grievances of the poor.