ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Saturday said the noble profession of judicial service demanded highest degree of honesty, fairness, moral strength and inaccessibility to any temptation.

He was talking to a delegation of newly-recruited judges-cum-judicial magistrates from the Punjab who called on him in the Supreme Court on Saturday.

Referring to the rapidly increasing corruption in the society, the chief justice stressed that judicial officers were expected to be free of this “pollution” and should not succumb to any influence or social pressure. This can only be ensured if the decisions are made on merit.

The judicial officers have entered the arena with a sacred mission to provide justice to the vulnerable part of the society without fear or favour, the chief justice observed.

He reminded the newly-selected judicial officers that delay in disposal of cases was a great menace being faced universally and asked them not to come under any pressure and decide cases on merit.

Earlier, Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) Director-General Moazzam Hayat presented an overview of the training course and the methodology to enhance the judicial skill of the newly- selected officers.