SIALKOT: Former chief justice and head of Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has ruled out the possibility of any kind of martial law in the country, saying the judiciary had closed the chapter of such an adventure in the country.

He was talking to journalists at Sialkot District Bar Association (DBA) after addressing a meeting of the local lawyers here on Tuesday.

Syed Tahir Ahmed Shah, vice president of Gujranwala DBA, Badarul Islam Warraich, ex-president of Gujrat DBA, Arshad Mahmood Baggu, ex-president of Sialkot DBA, along with the sitting bar officials were also present.

The former CJP added no-one could dare to impose martial law in the country as superior judiciary had already blocked the ways to imposition of military rule in Pakistan.

Says the judiciary had closed chapter of another martial law

Lashing out at “corrupt rulers and their corruption” in the country, Mr Chaudhry hoped the Supreme Court would dispense justice in Panama Leaks case.

He said the parliamentary system had miserably flopped in Pakistan, suggesting introduction of presidential system in the country “as envisaged by the Quaid-i-Azam” .

Mr Chaudhry said his party would participate in 2018 general elections, claiming it had been gaining popularity since its inception.

Earlier, addressing the local lawyers at the DBA, the ex-CJ stressed the need for establishing rule of law in the country for dispensing justice to the masses.

He said a good working relationship between the bar and bench was also vital for providing speedy justice to the poor and the oppressed in society, besides, curbing the menace of injustice.

He said both the judiciary and the lawyers should play their pivotal role in ensuring smooth provision of justice to the masses and removing all the hurdles in its way.

He also urged the lawyers to be in the forefront to rid the country of its “corrupt rulers and their corruption” in a bid to provide a corruption-free Pakistan to the coming generations. He said the rulers were promoting “family politics” in the country.

He said the nation-wide movement launched by the lawyers for an independent judiciary had not yet ended, adding that the second phase of the drive had begun now to rid nation rid of corrupt rulers.

The lawyers had played a key role in the restoration and freedom of the higher judiciary and now they should also come forward to play their role against corruption, he said.

Published in Dawn January 4th, 2017