CJ Arab vows to take action against corrupt judges

Published February 18, 2015
PARTICIPANTS in the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Faisal Arab as the new CJ of the Sindh High Court listen to the national anthem on Tuesday.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star
PARTICIPANTS in the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Faisal Arab as the new CJ of the Sindh High Court listen to the national anthem on Tuesday.—Fahim Siddiqi / White Star

KARACHI: Newly appointed Sindh High Court Chief Justice Faisal Arab warned on Tuesday that stern action would be taken against the judges of the district judiciary if they were found involved in any corrupt practice.

He issued this warning while talking to reporters after Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan administered the oath to him at the lawns of the SHC.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, sitting and former judges of the Supreme Court and the SHC and a large number of lawyers were also present on the occasion.

Chief Justice Arab said that the judiciary faced numerous problems and vowed to resolve them with the assistance of fellow judges and the legal fraternity.

Take a look: Profile: Sindh's new chief justice

He said that the SHC was still short of 10 judges, while 220 posts of judicial officers were lying vacant in the subordinate judiciary.

The chief justice said that there was a dire need to fill the vacancies as shortage of judges caused hindrance in dispensation of justice.

He said that the process of appointment of judges of the SHC and district courts was cumbersome and it could take a few months to complete. However, he assured that the judges would be appointed on merit as soon as possible.

Chief Justice Arab warned that stern action would be taken against the judges who were found involved in corrupt practices. “Most of the judicial officers are honest and competent, but a few of them are involved in corrupt practices and bring disgrace to the entire institution.”

He said that earlier a judicial officer found in corrupt practices was either transferred to a remote part of the province or he was not promoted. “But now stern action would be taken against the corrupt officials,” he declared.

The chief justice said that a mechanism for expeditious disposal of cases would be introduced to clear the backlog.

In response to a question, he said he was absolutely against the strikes and boycotts of court proceedings frequently called by the lawyers’ associations as litigants suffered most due to the closure of legal work at the courts.

Replying to another question, the chief justice said the maintenance of law and order was the responsibility of police and law enforcement agencies.

In response to a query regarding cases pending disposal for over 30 and 40 years, the chief justice replied that many cases could not proceed if the counsel for the two litigant parties were not prepared about the case. He, however, said a mechanism would also be devised to resolve the issue with the assistance of bar associations.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.