RAWALPINDI: Expressing his opposition to a government plan to tweak the procedure of the appointment of the chief justice of Pakistan, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, who hails from the government-allied PPP, said on Saturday that the move would backfire just as had happened in the past.

“What does the prime minister have to do with the appointment of the chief justice? Why does he want to pick and choose from three to five names? Let merit prevail,” he said, while addressing the concluding session of a two-day international conference at Kahuta Law University.

He also recalled how previous instances of violation of seniority had come back to bite the government.

Dr Qibla Ayaz, a judge of the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court, was also present on the occasion.

Says previous ‘misadventures’ had come back to bite the government

In his remarks, the governor said that if the country’s chief justice came on merit, he should be allowed to do his work, and if he retires then he should not be given an extension.

Governor Sardar Saleem said in opposition, all politicians want merit to be followed for all appointments. But after coming to power, he said, they often changed their minds.

The Punjab governor lamented how the justice system had become very weak and outdated, only creating difficulties for the common man.

He said that civil cases go on for three to four generations and yet there is no decision. There is a need to bring about changes in the laws related to civil cases while keeping the problems of the common man in mind.

He rued that hundreds of thousands of cases were still pending in the courts, adding that ombudsmen were doing a better job and deciding issues on merit.

He also stressed the urgent need to establish reconciliation courts, so that problems can be resolved at the local level. There is a dire need for reforms in the lower courts as well, he said.

“The situation will be better when judges, generals, bureaucrats feel the pain of the common man, and the powerful classes run affairs on merit.”

Sardar Saleem said that the current justice system and prevailing ‘thana culture’ reflect the real face of our society. Without political support, an FIR cannot be registered, and if a false FIR is registered against a common citizen, he will continue to struggle for justice for several years.

Our police are under constant pre­­ssure, and their problems also have to be solved, the governor said, adding that a police employee works continuously 24 hours a day and cannot even take off his uniform to rest.

To improve police station culture, the department will also have to provide facilities, which is the right of all policemen.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2024