'I would have been a clerk or small-time lawyer had there been no Pakistan'

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Friday urged fellow judges to make sure common people get their cases resolved within time and termed delay in justice detrimental for the overall progress of the country, ARY News reported.

Speaking during a ceremony in Lahore, the CJP said that as many as Rs55,000 are daily spent on a judge from the national exchequer and questioned if judges are justifying this expense through their work.

He maintained that his statement of comparing judiciary to Baba Rehmata (a fictional character) was ridiculed by some but Baba Rehmata’s character is that of a village elder who is respected among people so he compared judiciary with the character.

The CJP also urged the attendants to “value” Pakistan as not all get a free country to live in and added that he himself might have only been a clerk if there were no Pakistan.

“I would have been a clerk if there were no Pakistan so I keep a check on myself too and ask myself if I am fulfilling all my responsibilities and obligations as a Pakistani,” said the CJP.

The country’s top judge said that the country’s whole system is rotten and it is the judiciary’s responsibility to wipe out injustices from the society.

“We have witnessed that substandard mineral water is being sold, hospitals are not treating their patients like they should and poor people are being robbed of their property by influential land grabbers, so it is our responsibility to make sure they get justice,” said Saqib Nisar.

Answering a question, the CJP said that the court has constituted a separate bench to take up cases of missing persons.

He concluded his speech by saying that in future, people will hopefully see a Pakistan where justice will prevail.