SC’s Justice Athar Minallah urges judges not to fear criticism

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court’s Justice Athar Minalllah said on Saturday that the judges should fear no one and they should particularly not get influenced by the criticism on social media.

Speaking at a training workshop organized for court reporters in Islamabad on Saturday, Justice Athar Minallah maintained that any judge influenced by social media would be violating their oath.

“A judge influenced by criticism would violate his oath”, he said, adding that judge should be independent and should not be influenced by criticism.

Referring to a historic speech by the founder of Pakistan delivered on August 11, 1947, Justice Minallah highlighted the initiation of an endless series of censorship on the state. He said criticism is an examination for the judiciary, and while everyone has the right to criticize, they should also trust the judiciary.

The Supreme Court judge said he learnt a lot from the court reporters.

Justice Minallah stated that freedom of expression is a significant thing that should not be suppressed. “

He highlighted that criticism on the judiciary falls into two categories: one is criticism when allegations are made that informed decisions are being made, and the other is criticism where he does not like why relief was granted.

The SC judge said Pakistan would not have been split into two, if the oath was not transgressed.

Justice Minallah also called for retrospection. “We should ask ourselves, where we are moving to. We want judgments according to out liking, we want a debate according to out liking.”