Angels won’t descend to end corruption, nepotism: CJP

Says someone from us has to do this job; justice provision basic responsibility of govt; deplores country remained under martial law for 30 years after independence;  Larkana Bar Council surprises CJP with unusual present of a goat and a horse

LARKANA: Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has said angels would not descend from the heavens to eliminate corruption and nepotism and introduce good governance. “Someone from us has to do this job,” he added.

Addressing the Larkana District Bar Association ceremony, he said the provision of justice to the people was the basic responsibility of the government in any civilised society. He said legislation was done for personal purposes in the past. He said the rich were becoming richer and the poor poorer in the country. He said the country could overcome its problems in a decade if the people mend their ways.

He said the country was governed through martial law for 30 years after independence. He said the country was governed through the use of force during dictatorships. He said, “If action is taken against any incompetent person, a lobby pops up to his rescue.”

He said unfortunately Pakistan did not have the leadership which could have taken the country towards glory. He said until and unless shortcomings are overcome, problems would continue in the country.

He said the police, FIA, anti-corruption and NAB laws had been formulated in the country. He said no institution succeeded in fulfilling its responsibilities. He said every person was talking about corruption, nepotism and bad governance. He said everyone should come forward to overcome corruption and bad governance.

He said a great stress has been placed on justice in Islam. He said a number of countries were liberated after Pakistan entered the group of great nations of the world.

The CJ said nothing had been done for the education of the children of labourers and farmers in the country. He said electronic and print media had become active now.

Anwar Zaheer Jamali said being the chief justice of Pakistan he could not accept any gift exceeding Rs10,000, adding that it was compulsory to deposit the gift in the national kitty costing over Rs10,000.

The CJ said the goat and horse gifted to him were beautiful but they were costly so he could not accept them, adding that he would have pictures with the horse and goat taken and hang them in his drawing room.

Bar President Sarfaraz Jatoi had presented an Arabian horse and a goat to the chief justice.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali received an unusual gift on Saturday—a horse and a goat which he eventually refused to accept. As his address ended, a brown horse decked up like a bride accompanied by a white goat walked into the tent. The well-bred horse and goat were an expensive gift that the bar had decided to present to the chief justice. One could see him smile, behind the white moustache and beard that covered his face. As the horse was brought to the stage by its keeper, the chief justice patted it lovingly, but eventually refused the present. The reason-- anything above the value of Rs10,000 presented to the chief justice has to be returned to the state treasury. “I cannot possibly accept this present. But thanks a lot,” the chief justice said.

“If I accept the goat I will not be able to perform my duties as chief justice. Even in court I will wonder if I gave food to it, or took it out for grazing,” the chief justice said in a lighter note.

The chief justice was all praise for the animals. “It’s a beautiful horse and goat. I will take pictures with them and put it up in my drawing room.”