Courts are not 'enemies', but friends: chief justice tells interior minister

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday appeared before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in a case pertaining to the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) overcharging Pakistanis residing abroad for issuance or cancellation of identity cards. 

At the start of the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, who headed a bench, while addressing the minister said if he was seething with anger for being summoned to the court.

“Have you seen Hujra Shah Muqeem case, the chief justice asked. “What are politicians doing? You people have to address this problem and lead the country.”

Upon this, the minister said he respected courts and that the chief justice’s concern was correct.

He said he wanted to bring a matter into the court’s knowledge that he had got approved two colleges – one for girls and the other for boys in his constituency, Narowal.

The boys’ college had been constructed while that of girls couldn’t be build owing to a stay order of the high court being in force for seven years, he continued.

Justice Nisar summoned details of the case from the Lahore High Court and assured the minister of resolving this problem in a week.

“You consider courts your enemies. But, courts are not enemies, but friends,” he said while addressing the minister.

“I consider them friends as well, which is why I have brought this matter into its knowledge,” Iqbal quipped.

On non-resident Pakistanis’ voting rights, the chief justice said they had to ensure that the overseas Pakistanis are allowed to exercise right to vote.