Political fray augurs badly for judiciary

Chief Justice (CJ) Hasan Foez Siddique has said that it does not bode well for the judiciary when the political split crosses the streets and rushes to courts.
The judiciary feels comfortable if political ideology is implemented politically and courts are kept at a safe distance.
The CJ passed the remarks at a farewell accorded to him by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Attorney General's office on his last working day on Thursday.
CJ Foez, who will retire on September 25, sat in the courtroom for hearing and disposing of cases on his last working day, as the court will go into a one-and-a-half-month annual vacation since September 03.
He said, "We have to keep in mind that differences of lawyers and their reactions damage the image of the judiciary."
"…The authors of the Constitution established an independent and impartial judiciary. The responsibility of every organ and every citizen of the state is to enforce that independence."
"Judiciary is the heart of a republic… The people of a nation may lose confidence in executive or legislative departments. But if the nation loses faith in the judiciary, it will have to wait for the worst day," uttered the CJ.
The Judiciary is the protector of the Constitution as well as the fundamental human rights, he said, adding that independence of the judiciary is essential for the development of an inclusive democracy, preservation of rule of law, rights of weaker sections of society and establishment of social justice.

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