PESHAWAR, March 20: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan said on Wednesday that certain circles were trying to thwart the election process but judiciary foiled their plans.

He said that judiciary was sending loud message that survival of people and the country was attached to democracy.

The PHC chief justice said that he was personally monitoring the investigation regarding the suicide blast at the Judicial Complex. It would be the lone case in the country wherein the mastermind would be arrested and would be brought to justice, he added.

PHC Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan inaugurated the FM radio station of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy named Radio Meezan with the message that it would play an important role in raising awareness among the masses in the province about their rights and legal issues.

He said that initially the range of the radio station would be in the provincial capital but in next few months it would be extended to every nook and corner of the province. He added that they would also try to launch a television channel of the academy in near future whenever funds were generated for that purpose.

Addressing the launching ceremony, the PHC chief justice said that judiciary had often been blamed for interfering in the affairs of other organs but it had to intervene as the other two state organs had not been delivering in a befitting manner.

“We will continue to intervene till such time when the two other organs start functioning in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and then we would apply brakes to judicial activism,” he added.

About the forthcoming general elections, the PHC chief justice said that certain powers, both visible and invisible, made many fatal attacks on the election process in recent past, but judiciary thwarted all those attempts. During those attempts, he added, people were imported from abroad though well-designed plan but they failed in their designs.

“We are aware of the situation and are sending loud message to those circles that survival of people and this country is attached to democracy,” the PHC chief justice said, adding that lawyers and civil society should remain prepared for starting another movement whenever emergency call was made to them.

Regarding the FM Radio Meezan, Justice Dost Mohammad said that visibly it was a small studio but its mandate and sphere of delivery of service would increase manifold with each passing months.

He added that importance of media could not be denied as it had played an important role not only in the movement for restoration of judiciary but also for democracy in the country.

The director general of the Judicial Academy, Hayat Ali Shah, said that they had set several targets, which apparently appeared impossible but they achieved it through hard work and determination.

“Law states that ignorance of law is no excuse. It is responsibility of the state to make the people aware about law, but it has failed to fulfil this responsibility,” he said. He added that with the launching of the radio that objective would be achieved.

The station director of the radio, Mohammad Aamir Nazir, highlighted the salient features of the station stating that it was started with the mission to impart distant learning to those related to justice sector and to educate and sensitise masses, especially downtrodden, about their fundamental rights.