RAWALPINDI: Disclosing he had received complaints of interference in judicial matters by “state institutions”, Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan on Friday expressed the hope that “external meddling” in the judiciary would soon come to an end.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the E-Court and Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre, Justice Khan said, “Interference in the judiciary will have to be fought with faith that it will come to an end.”

The LHC CJ, who has been tipped for elevation to the Supreme Court, explained that he was saying this not just because it was “part of my faith but also includes my experience”.

It may be mentioned that Justice Khan was recently nominated by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan for his elevation to the Supreme Court.

He said there was an issue of the establishment’s interference in the judiciary’s affairs, and judicial officers wrote to him against meddling.

“We receive letters, complaints and oral complaints that interference is being done in the judiciary in which a few institutions — naming them is not appropriate — are involved,” Dawn.com quoted Justice Khan as saying.

“We have received other such complaints as well. Many complaints are not in written [form] as they say evidence would be demanded, which would be difficult to provide,” the judge said.

He advised the sessions court judges not to worry about the temporary troubles and urged them to face it with bravery and not to become a target of any of their blackmailing.

“Temporary worries do come but you have to face them eye to eye and not be a target of any of their blackmailing. Do not be hesitant to make any kind of sacrifice.”

He pointed out that in 2007, then-chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry stood against a military dictator, and everyone was saying that once a judge is removed he cannot make a comeback.

However, he recalled, the lawyers and people of Pakistan joined the movement for the restoration of the judiciary and Justice Chaudhry was reinstated finally.

Justice Khan said, “To get rid of the establishment’s interference, we have to face it with bravery, courage and without any fear, and with the belief that this interference, God willing, will end soon.”

He said he was glad to know that the judges were working without any fear or greed.

Referring to the pendency, Justice Khan said the backlog of the judiciary is the biggest problem. He pointed out that a case is being pursued by three generations of the same family, adding that a civil case took three decades to conclude. He attributed the delay to the unavailability of witnesses and said he had held a meeting with the judges to address this problem.

Referring to recent claims of a sessions judge of a Sargodha Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) about interference in judicial matters by an intelligence agency, Justice Khan said the judge in his complaint had stated he was not afraid of any of the incidents he allegedly faced, Dawn.com reported.

“I am ready for any sacrifice that I might have to make but I would not do injustice to anyone,” Justice Khan quoted the ATC judge as saying.

The LHC chief justice highlighted that Pakistan was currently “going through one of the longest periods of a civil government”, adding that the 2007 lawyers’ movement “closed the doors for martial law forever”.

He urged the lawmakers to play their role in taking the country forward, noting that positions were a temporary thing.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2024