KARACHI: Mian Saqib Nisar, the former chief justice of Pakistan, has said that 28 fundamental human rights are part of the constitution and the most important of them is the right to life.

Speaking at a ‘Meet the Editors’ programme of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) here on Sunday, he said parliament was supreme but it could not curtail any fundamental right.

“There is a need to frame new laws to deal with white-collar crimes,” he added.

He said the reason for taking scores of suo motu notices by the courts was non-admission of constitutional petitions filed by civil society.

He said unfortunately 80 per cent of cases were false in Pakistan and India, placing a hurdle in dispensation of justice.

The former CJ said he had tried to solve problems of not only the poor but also of the elite and avoided cases of a political nature.

In reply to a question about Justice Qazi Faez Isa, he said every chief justice had its own method and procedure and difference of opinion was his right. “In my opinion, Justice Isa did not say anything wrong.” He said he tried hard to solve problems of media workers.

Earlier, CPNE Secretary General Dr Jabbar Khattak welcomed the former chief justice.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2019