KARACHI, Feb 4 Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said on Thursday that the judicial system in the country could not be improved and strengthened without improving the facilities and service structure of the subordinate judiciary.

Addressing the judges of the Sindh High Court and judicial officers posted in Karachi, including district and sessions judges and judicial magistrates, the chief justice assured them of his cooperation in improving the service conditions of judicial officers.

The chief justice said that only the judicial officers in Punjab were getting better salaries while the officers in the remaining provinces were still waiting for the raise.

“I have discussed the issue of salary enhancement with the honourable Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court,” he said.

He said that he was aware that it was very difficult for the judicial officers to support their families with their meagre salaries.

“But pending demand does not mean that we become depressed,” he said.

Chief Justice Chaudhry urged the members of the judiciary to live up to the expectations of the people and litigants who were now more aware of their rights and expected more from an independent judiciary.

He expressed his happiness over the efforts by members of the district judiciary for implementing the National Judicial Policy.He asked the judicial officers to put in their best efforts to eradicate corruption at staff level and ensure expeditious disposal of cases for enhancing the public image of the judiciary.