Chief justice responds to ‘good to see you’ remarks

ISLAMABAD:CHIEF Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday said he greeted everyone with “good to see you” because “respect and courtesy” were necessary.

His remarks came ater he had exchanged greetings with former prime minister Imran Khan by saying “good to see you” during the later’s appearance before the apex court on May 11. During that hearing, the court declared the arrest of Imran in the Al Qadir Trust case, which took place at the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), as “invalid and unlawful.”

The judge’s friendly greeting to Imran added fuel to the government’s claims that the benevolence of members of the Supreme Court was limited to Imran. It generated a wave of criticism, including from Pakistan Muslim Leaguenawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif.

The CJP responded to the criticism while hearing a civil case on Tuesday. While hearing a civil case, the CJP had an interaction with lawyer Asghar Sabzwari. He initiated the exchange by saying: “I am pleased to see you as you have appeared in my court ater a considerable period.”

Justice Bandial said he says “good to see you” to everyone, noting that he had faced a lot of criticism for using the phrase. “I show everyone respect,” the chief justice said.

“Respect and courtesy are necessary for everyone,” he added.

Shortly ater the CJP’S remarks made the news, PML-N senior vice president Maryam Nawaz posed a number of questions for the chief justice on Twiter.

“How many criminals who have stolen billions do you greet with ‘good to see you’? Do you bid farewell to everyone by calling the registrar to send a Mercedes for them? Do you shit everyone from jail to a rest house? Do you shower everyone on remand with bail? Do you tell everyone to call ten family members, chat with them and go to sleep?”

Separately, Imran has renewed his call for peaceful protests to save the Supreme Court, alleging that security agencies were facilitating “goons” in the federal government to take over the top court and subvert the Constitution.

In a tweet, he stated, “All citizens be ready for peaceful protests as once the Constitution and SC are destroyed, it is the end of the Pak dream.”

Imran observed that some 7,000 PTI workers, leaders and women have been jailed without any investigation into the violence which broke out following the arrest of the PTI chairman, causing dozens of deaths and the destruction of government property.