Prerogative to form benches lies with CJP: Justice Umar Ata Bandial
- By Hassan Ayub -
- Mar 25, 2022
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Friday said that it has always been the prerogative of the chief justice to form a bench and he does not know why objections have been made now, ARY NEWS reported.
The chief justice was addressing a full court reference on the retirement of the apex court judge Justice Qazi Amin Ahmed. He said that the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) hurled allegations and termed judges as government employees which is highly inappropriate.
“The judges of the Supreme Court are qualified and professionals and there is a process being devised for their appointment based on their qualification, attitude, credibility and making decisions without any fear and greed,” he said and added they make decisions on their conscience while being afraid of Allah.
He said that no judge could be targeted without proof.
The CJP said that the prerogative to form benches lies with the chief justice and he do not know what traditions SCBA President Ahsan Bhoon is talking about. “For last 20 years, chief justices are forming benches,” he said and asked why unnecessary objections are being raised now.
He said that it is him who decides on formation of benches and taking up cases. He further defended appointment of registrar of the apex court and said that he knows the law and administrative affairs.
CJP Umar Ata Bandial while asking participants to avoid speaking on matters of bar and bench in public said that if anyone has issues then he should come up to him and discuss the matter.
You can criticize our decisions not the judges, he said.
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The chief justice also lauded Justice Qazi Amin for brilliant decisions in criminal cases and women empowerment issues.
He said that court will continue to play its constitutional role and had decided 4,000 cases in February and March, bringing down the pending cases at the apex court by 1000.
“We are discouraging adjournments in the cases,” he said and lauded role of co-judges of the apex court and lawyers in this regard.