No observations in rulings to trigger lower court litigations: CJP

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Yahya Afridi, said on Friday that no observations that could lead to further litigation at lower levels would be included in his rulings.

The chief justice, heading a two-member bench, was hearing a case related to a land dispute. During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer requested that the court include a directive in the written order, advising him to approach the relevant forum. However, the court rejected the plea for such an observation.

Chief Justice Afridi remarked that even a single line in a Supreme Court order can sometimes result in cases being prolonged for up to 18 years. He recalled a previous instance when he was hearing an appeal against objections raised by the registrar’s office where the counsel requested directives suggesting approaching the relevant forum. The chief justice reiterated that, at times, a single sentence from the apex court could lead cases to continue for extended periods.

The chief justice assured that no observations would be made in his rulings that might lead to the reopening of cases at lower levels. Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan said that petitioners have the option to approach relevant forums even without a written directive from the apex court. Meanwhile, the court dismissed the plea seeking an observation in the written order suggesting that they approach the relevant forum.