AT long last, Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nasir thought it appropriate to go outside Punjab and Sindh and look into what is happening in two other provinces, where things are far from satisfactory.
He held judges responsible for delaying the cases for a lengthy period of time. He expressed dismay over the delay in justice for 30 to 40 years and questioned the role of judges in it. “How can it take 15-years for a case trial to conclude? I don’t understand this,” he asked.
On the subject of salaries and fringe benefits associated with top judges, he said, “Being part of this respected profession, we [judges] must justify the perks, we get from our services. The salaries, we get are similar to other top privileged civil servants in the country.”
While addressing the lawyers in bar room at Quetta’s district court, the top judge announced the initial legal reforms and termed the current laws obsolete [since civil procedure code was made in 1908], it is no longer compatible with the current conditions prevailing in the country.
CJP criticizes political leaders over their failure to solve the basic issues like health, education, and security of its citizens. CJP regrets that legislators even have no time to legislate to improve the judicial system of the country. PPP has accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for restricting judicial reforms.
Governance is, no doubt, not domain of the judiciary but the interest that the Chief Justice of Pakistan is taking in resolving issues that directly concern with masses would hopefully help improve the situation. There is corruption all over the country but reports say there is proverbial corruption in Balochistan and in some cases roads claimed to have been built in fifties and sixties do not exist on ground.
The province is also rich in mineral deposits and their exploitation could change destiny of its people but these too have been politicized or scandalised. There has also been misuse of Balochistan domicile generating frustration and resentment among its impoverished people. Hopefully, the Chief Justice would look into these and other issues to help improve things in Balochistan as per expectations of its people in his next visit.
CJP has re-emphasized a number of times that he does not intend to interfere in the work of the executive and provincial Governments but is compelled to do so due to the appalling state of affairs in provinces.
After being criticized for taking too many Suo Moto cases, CJP is on a mission to restore the collapsed reputation of Pakistan’s judicial system, which is agonizingly expensive and lengthy at the same time.