ISLAMABAD: Former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who is officiating as an ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice in The Haque, has been awarded ‘International Justice Excellence Award’ for promoting justice at home and around the world.

The ceremony to give the award was held at the International Institute for Justice, Netherlands. Mr Jillani was decorated for his outstanding contribution to the elevation of the principles of justice in Pakistan and the international community.

The former CJP said he was humbled and honoured that he had been chosen for the award, adding that he did not consider this award for his person but for the cherished principles enunciated in the Constitution of Pakistan.

Mr Jillani came to prominence as the 21st chief justice of Pakistan for his landmark judgement on a suo motu notice on the Sept 22, 2013 bomb attack on a Peshawar church in which 81 people died.

In the judgement Mr Jillani ordered law enforcement agencies to promptly register criminal cases for desecrating the places of worship of minorities or on violation of any of their rights guaranteed under the law.

The verdict also directed the federal government to ensure that hate speeches on social media were discouraged and delinquents were brought to justice.

While speaking at the full court reference held to bid him farewell on July 4, 2014 on reaching superannuation, Mr Jillani sounded a word of caution by stating that democracy could not endure if constitutional pledges and values failed to bring about a positive change in the lives of people and a constitutional culture was not nurtured. “Only enforcement of laws and verdicts can promote values of trust and tolerance and thereby affect the human patterns,” he had observed.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2019