Punjab governor slams PM over judges’ issue

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Haider Khan on Saturday criticised the prime minister over the appointment of judges in the light of proposed constitutional amendments, saying the chief justice should be appointed based on merit and that no extensions should be granted to anyone.

“I wonder what has happened to the prime minister that he claims he will pick and choose the judge for the post of chief justice from among five or three candidates,” he said while addressing the concluding session of the two-day international conference at Kahuta Law University.

The governor said that politicians understand the consequences of bypassing merit when selecting judges. “Choosing someone from number four — everyone knows what happened to them,” he remarked. He emphasized that politicians must be cautious, insisting that the chief justice should be appointed on merit. “Whether he serves for a month, six months, or a year, let him do so, but no one should be given an extension. When he leaves, let him go. There should be no extensions,” he said.

Sardar Salim Haider highlighted the discrepancy in political attitudes, saying, “When we are in the opposition, we call for merit; when we are in power, we define merit according to our interests.” He argued that the situation would improve when judges, generals, and bureaucrats empathise with the common man and that powerful classes running the affairs must operate on merit.

The governor remarked that the justice system and police culture reflect the true state of society. He said that without political backing, an FIR is often not registered, and if a false FIR is filed against a common citizen, that person may struggle for years to obtain justice.

He acknowledged that police face pressures and stressed the need for reforms to improve police station culture. “A police employee works continuously, often without a break. To enhance police culture, we must provide facilities, which is their right,” he said.

The governor said that the number of pending cases is in the hundreds of thousands, with many people seeking justice. “I have seen the ombudsman’s decisions over four months and realised that all decisions are based on merit,” he said. He further commented that the justice system has become weak and outdated, often creating obstacles for the common man. “Civil cases can take three to four generations without resolution, highlighting the urgent need for legal reforms to address the issues faced by ordinary citizens,” he said.

The governor reiterated that the situation would improve when judges, generals, and bureaucrats genuinely understand the struggles of common man and when the powerful classes prioritise merit in their governance. He concluded that during his four months as governor, he has observed that ombudsman decisions are merit-based and emphasised the necessity of establishing conciliation courts to resolve problems at the local level, alongside urgent reforms in lower courts.