It can’t be expected from dictators to allow judiciary to work freely: ex-CJP

LAHORE: Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday said that it could not be expected from military dictators to allow judiciary to work independently.

The former chief justice expressed these views at a book launch ceremony for 'A History of the Judiciary in Pakistan' authored by senior lawyer Hamid Khan. The former CJ said that history of judiciary in Pakistan encountered a turbulent criticism because of imposition of extra-constitutional rules by military dictators and at the same time at the hands of civilians.

He said no expectation could be attached with the military dictators to allow judiciary to work independently, however, when a civilian government worked against the judiciary, it led to forming an opinion that they did not like an independent judiciary.

Sharing his views about the book, he said that the book conveniently could be divided into two parts, before the commencement of the lawyer’s movement and after the movement, which began on March 9, 2007. He said these eras drastically brought about changes in the behaviour of the judiciary supported by civil society. Whereas, he said, before the movement the judiciary remained in a constant trouble caused by the military rulers as well as the civilian democratic dispensation. Iftikhar Chaudhar lamented that before 2008, the elected representatives were supporting imposition of martial law.

Former Chief Justice Jawwad S Khwaja also expressed his views on this occasion urging Hamid Khan to get his book translated into Urdu so a majority of the country’s population could benefit from it. He said that struggle of any country could not be successful without the participation of the common public. And the participation of the public could not be achieved without a wider communication, he said. He said law and the constitution of the country were far away from the ground realities.