The country’s top judge, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar is set to retire two days from now. This is going to be a glorious end to a law career spanning over more than 30 years.
Justice Nisar was appointed the Chief Justice of Pakistan in December 2016, after the then Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali’s tenure came to an end.
CJP Nisar, whose legal acumen is acknowledged by even his critics, has been in the benches which heard or decided cases that will have lasting impacts on Pakistan and its society.
His brainchild is the Supreme Court’s Fund for Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dam, which was later merged with the Prime Minister’s Fund for the same purpose.
Through this fund, CJP Nisar started a movement to raise the monetary resources needed to build the dams. He has also taken to task several officials, ministers and departments for their apparent lack of interest in building various dams across the country.
In an exclusive talk with ARY News in the Chief Justice’s Chamber on Tuesday, the country’s top adjudicator recalled the public interest cases that interested him the most.
“The cases of population control and construction of dams have been my favourite”, the Chief Justice said.
“While I don’t remember the exact number of public interest cases [that I have heard or decided], I believe that if these verdicts have gained appreciation among the masses, then the process should stay in motion”, he said.
“There was a girl who had been abandoned by her father; he wasn’t ready to give her his name”, said CJP Nisar.
“I called the girl’s father and grandfather, and they accepted her to be their daughter in this very chamber and gave her the family name”, he said, “I felt very content after deciding the case”, he added.
The Chief Justice said that the awareness in masses regarding their rights was increasing which was a welcome sign.
“If the people of Pakistan think that my verdicts are in their favour and have protected their rights, then they should collectively work for the implementation of these verdicts”, said the outgoing top judge.
