CJP denies judiciary being influenced by institutions
No one has ever told me what judgement I need to hand down and no one has dared to dictate me on my orders. I have made my decisions according to my understanding and as per the Constitution: Gulzar
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed on Saturday denied that the judiciary was being influenced or taking dictation from other institutions as he maintained that the courts in the country were free to conduct their business.
Addressing the two-day Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, Justice Gulzar made it clear that “our courts are working freely. There is no pressure from any side on them.”
A charged Chief Justice said, “I have always upheld the law and the Constitution while delivering my judgments. My verdicts are as per my conscience. I accept no dictation. I work as per law so do all the other judges of the Supreme Court.”
He said that in institutions there is always rule of law and not the rule of individuals. Nobody dared interfere in my decisions, he added. He said the judges of high courts were working diligently to dispense justice among people.
Justice Gulzar asked the audience to enlighten him whether he accepted any pressure from any quarter.
While expressing his ire over former firebrand Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president
Ali Ahmad Kurd, Justice Gulzar offered him to read the court judgements.
“We work without pressure. And we will continue to work independently. There is rule of law in Pakistan, not the rule of mere individuals. We will continue supporting law, constitution and democracy in Pakistan. We will never accept any undemocratic setup. In such scenario, we will beter quit our jobs as we have done before,” the CJP stated.
It is pertinent to mention here that Kurd in his address alleged that the judiciary worked under the pressure of some institutions.
The CJP was addressing Asma Jahangir Conference-2021 titled “The Role of Judiciary for the Protection of Human Rights and Strengthening of Democracy” in Lahore which was atended by legal fraternity, besides important national and international dignitaries.
Chief justices of the Lahore and Islamabad high courts also participated in the session.
Besides these senior judges, the senior members of the bar and envoys of foreign missions in Islamabad also atended the conference.
Ahsan Bhoon, President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Khushdil Khan, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, and Ali Ahmed Kurd, former SCBA president and senior journalist Hamid Mir were among the prominent participants.
Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, Wouter Plomp, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Pakistan, Wendy Gilmour, Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Philipp Deichmann, Deputy of Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan, Christian Turner, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Knut Ostby, Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan, and Dr Agnes Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International, were due to address the inaugural session.
On this occasion, Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa has said that all judges and Pakistan army take oath to the protection of the Constitution. Every Pakistani is bound to uphold the Constitution, he urged.
He was of the view that there should be freedom of press and freedom of expression and the women rights should be safeguarded.
He held that we should not beg for democracy, it’s our right. He maintained that democracy must be strengthened in Pakistan. He said speaking the truth is the “biggest jihad” and the survival of Pakistan lies in democracy only. He asked the government to provide free education till matriculation.
He said that Islam has put special emphasis on the character of women. That’s why Hazrat Khadija (RA) was declared Mother of the Momineen due to her good character.
Justice Isa was of the opinion that judiciary played a very important role in strengthening of democracy in the country. He said Pakistan was the only country which gave its ruling against the martial law of General Ghulam Muhammad.
He further said the Supreme Court had also given its verdicts against the undemocratic steps of General Iskandar Mirza and Ayub Khan. He stated that it was the apex court which declared former president Farooq Leghari’s step to dissolve the National Assembly illegal and restored the government of late prime minister Benazir Bhuto.