Courts can be moved if govt shows reluctance to implement policies: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial has said that courts could be approached if government showed reluctance in implementing policies enacted on women rights as well as population.

The chief justice was addressing the concluding session of the two-day national conference on Resilient Pakistan, Calibrating Population and Resources, organised by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in collaboration with the Population Programme Wing (PPW) of the Ministry of Health Services, Regulations and Coordination here at the Supreme Court.

The CJP said that everyone in the society would have to play a constructive role for the resolution of problems concerning health, education and population.

“It’s good that provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also made legislation for women rights, and Azad Kashmir should also be included in this regard,” he said.

He further said that for betterment of society, women should be empowered and have freedom for taking decisions for their betterment.

He said the government was well aware of the said policies in field, adding that if the government shows reluctance on its implementation, then courts could be approached in this regard.

The chief justice, however, said that courts neither formulate polices nor make legislation but can issue directives for the implementation of law.

“Talented women are available for key posts in the State,” the CJP said.

“Although, higher education does not fall in basic rights yet it could be linked with as well,” he added.

Justice Bandial said the recommendations, made by the conference, are for the benefit of society and the participants from across the country who attended the event will take the message to their respective areas.

While reciting a verse from Holy Quran, the chief justice said that if we are determined for the betterment of society, Allah Almighty will definitely lead us to our destination.

“For this purpose, we must have a positive approach and thoughts in our minds,” he maintained.

He said that education, health and empowerment are basic rights of women, adding that apart from acquiring job opportunities, women folk should have the right of making decisions for their rights.

Addressing the conference, Justice Ayesha A Malik said that talented women played the lead role for organising this conference.

The Supreme Court judge said that half of her reservations about population had been removed through this conference.

Similarly, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar said that due to frivolous litigation, the routine works of courts are being severely affected.

The judge said that even cases for correction of names on National Identity Cards (NICs) as well as enlisting names in the voter lists are being filed in courts.

Justice Mazhar said that the conference has given solid proposals, adding that the discussion made during the conference was aimed to forward it to policymakers.

The judge requested the CJP to summon a report from the Law and Justice Commission on the recommendations made by the conference.

Meanwhile, vocalist and social activist Shahzad Roy, while addressing the conference, stressed the need for such legislation making training courses on population control compulsory as well as on the health of mothers before nikah.