Khadim’s Quetta

khAdim duRRani Quettawaal

As a result of lawyers’ long drawn tireless movement, and last week’s final push in the form of a long march by some of the political parties, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mohammed Iftikhar Chaudhry has finally been reinstated; according to a news reports he resumed his judicial responsibilities with effect from 22^nd March 2008 (Today). Mr Chaudhry’s reinstatement should bring to an end the state of conflict in the country for which ordinary people and a fledgling democracy have been paying a high price. For example, on May 12, 2007 many people were killed in Karachi and over the last two years, due to strikes by lawyers, the court proceedings across Pakistan were badly affected.

Sadly, over the last six decades, corruption, mismanagement and the lack of accountability have been the main factors affecting every one of us on daily basis. Unfortunately, the situation is such that every legal objective is achieved through illegal means and every illegal action is covered by a legal façade, exacerbating further the miseries of people. Victims of crimes and injustices hardly get any justice while the offenders roam about freely in the society without fearing the risks of being prosecuted. There are so many examples of corruption, mismanagement and injustices that citing them here would be a futile attempt. Only citizens of Pakistan know the need for and importance of a ‘just’ and independent judiciary. The sole reason that Pakistan is heading towards socio-political and economic meltdown is because ‘the judiciary’ has failed to deliver what it was meant to deliver and that is ‘justice’ to those who seek it – irrespective of their social status, personal connections and political affiliations etc.

A judge who fails to keep intact his neutrality and integrity, in dealing with judicial matters, cannot and should not be called a judge and the ones who get bribes and other favours are simply the black sheep of our society, not the judges. The profession of judiciary would be better off without them. And those who, over the past six decades, have been taking oath under PCOs have only brought shame to this profession.

Though Mr Chaudhry himself has been criticized for having taken oath under PCO (Provisional Constitutional Order) nonetheless there have been many occasions when the Chief Justice took bold decisions (numerous suo moto actions) to help alleviate the sufferings of ordinary people thus raising their confidence in a judiciary that was losing credibility in the eyes of the masses. His refusal to give in to General Musharaf’s [illegal] demand to step down as Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court only added to Mr Chaudhry’s popularity.

And now is the time to turnover a new leaf in the judicial system of Pakistan since without an independent, confident and a just ‘judiciary’ a real social change will remain a dream. It is therefore imperative we strive to achieve this goal by supporting the right people, without compromising the integrity of such an important institution.

It is worth remembering here that Mr Chaudhry was born and bred in Quetta and before becoming Supreme Court’s Chief Justice he served as the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court.