PESHAWAR, Jan 4: The NWFP Governor, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, has said that dispensation of justice is a critical element in the creation of an exploitation-free society and the Bar can play a dominant role in this regard.

“The more the Bar is vibrant, the minimum will be the chance of injustices in the society,” the governor said while speaking at the Mardan District Bar Association on Friday. “The Bar is the watchdog of the entire society, which ensures easy access to the justice,” he said.

The governor said he had great respect for the legal fraternity which was an important component of judicial system and played a vital role in the delivery and dispensation of justice. The judiciary overall and the Bar in particular played the key role of a watchdog to ensure justice to the oppressed against the oppressor, he added.

He said after coming into power the government had to fight on multiple fronts to bring an end to the wrongs in the government affairs and the society. He said by the grace of God and support of the people, the government had been able to pull the country out of international isolation, put it back on the track of economic revival and win the support of international community by standing by it in the fight against international terrorism.

Iftikhar Hussain Shah said we were a peace loving nation. But our love for peace should not be construed as our weakness. He said the government was fully capable of defending the frontiers and those who dare indulge in any misadventure would regret their act forever.

He said the government set about on a well thought out course of action, the immediate task of which was to do away with a system of governance, which had become archaic and was unable to respond to the peoples’ needs and problems.

The governor said the present government was committed to its promise of returning the country back to democracy and civilian rule as promised by President Pervez Musharraf and elections would be held as per schedule.

He said while the government was busy shaping up the new system, it did not lose sight of the growing public demand to hold accountable those who had mercilessly plundered the public exchequer.

Commenting on the situation in Afghanistan, Iftikhar pointed out that Pakistan, as a friend of the Afghans, had pleaded with the Taliban to heed the international community’s demand and hand over those being accused of terrorism but they refused. Pakistan sent several delegations to Kabul and Kandahar to impress upon the Taliban leadership to see reason but to no avail, he added.  

The governor hoped that with the elimination of terrorism in Afghanistan peace would return to that unfortunate country and its people would be able to live with honour and dignity.

He was optimistic that this would also help create an atmosphere that would facilitate the return of Afghan refugees to their homeland. The time has come for the international community to help rebuild Afghanistan, ravaged by decades of civil war, he added.

He said peace in Afghanistan would open vast avenues of opportunity for Pakistan.