KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday said the terrorism was a global issue and collective efforts should be in place to eradicate this menace from the society.

Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day international seminar on combating terrorism through law, the chief justice observed that the waves of terrorism were not only restricted to any particular area, adding that the law and order situation in one part of the world adversely affect the other parts.

He further said that the terrorism was a continuous threat to the persons and property of the people had neither any universally accepted definition nor was there any consensus between the academics, the international legal experts and the jurists in this regard. However, it is very clear that the element of terror and fear is built-in any form of definition, he said adding the terrorists had no religion, cast or creed.

The chief justice mentioned that with the advancement of technology terrorists had also transformed their acts into ethnic-terrorism, sectarian-terrorism, bio-terrorism, eco-terrorism, narco-terrorism, etc.

He observed the world had combated with the acts of terror both at national as well as international level. We must seek guidance from the experiences of others.

Chaudhry said the average number of people killed and wounded in terrorism acts had increased eight times in the country. He said instances of terrorism were the result of peak of intolerance, lawlessness, local aid, financial aid, etc. It was prerogative of the states to make the laws for combating terrorism.

He observed that the state was bound to provide inexpensive, speedy justice to the people as per Article 37(d) of the constitution.

He cautioned that if principles of the criminal law were not followed then the consequences would also be evident. He viewed the people living in PATA and FATA should be given importance; their problems both at provincial and federal level should be addressed. They should equally be obliged to take part in the mainstream so that no sense of deprivation should flourish in their minds, he added.

He said that indeed the courts had to provide justice to the accused according to the law of the land, adding that the role of the investigating agencies in this regard is of crucial important.

The chief justice further said that the Supreme Court had time and again observed in its judgments that the role of law enforcement agencies was very important and they had to work with full honesty.

He said the black sheep in any agency were not only fatal for that institution for also for the whole community. It is proven fact that the political influences and other pressures destroy working of the investigating agencies.

Justice Chaudhry was presented Life Time Achievements Award by the Sindh High Court Bar Association.

The CJ dedicated the award to the legal fraternity, whole nation, civil society, martyrs of May 12 and April 09, youngsters and media of the country.