Corruption needs to be culled: CJP

MULTAN: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar Saturday said ‘corruption raj’ in the country would have to be dismantled if Pakistan was to make progress.

Addresses lawyers in Multan, he said corruption had damaged the country the most. He said everyone would have to reform oneself first if progress and prosperity in the country was needed.

He also stressed ‘crushing’ conspiracies against dams, adding that when he raised voice for construction of new dams in the country schools were torched in Diamer.

He also regretted making education a business, though it’s a state responsibility to provide education to all Pakistan free of cost up to 18 years of age. He said every department is found complaining about shortage of funds. Where these funds were being used if not being spent on people’s health and education, he asked.

The chief justice said helping people getting their fundamental rights was a main duty of the judiciary and not any favour to anyone.

Addressing lawyers and representatives of 27 bar associations of southern Punjab at Lahore High Court Multan Bench Bar Association here, he said that construction of new dams was lifeline for Pakistan, but conspirators were hatching conspiracies against the noble cause. He regretted that the conspirators blasted 12 schools in Diamer (Gilgit-Baltistan) when a voice was raised for construction of a dam in the area. Who are those conspirators, he asked. Justice Saqib Nisar said the Supreme Court had taken a wise initiative about construction of dams.

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar asked lawyers to play their role in the construction of dams. He said first important thing is donation for construction of these dams and then lawyers’ support to the noble cause. He said the SC did not reject construction of Kalabagh dam outright. It would be built when all four provinces reach consensus on it.

The CJP stressed the need for waging jihad against corruption. He said promotion of education as business would not be allowed in the country as provision of an education to all Pakistan up to 18 years of age was a constitutional responsibility of the state.

He said the new government should formulate policies for promotion of free education in the public sector. He said parents had no option but to pay up to Rs33,000 fee for kindergarten classes.

The chief justice said that no compromise would be made on fundamental rights and that was a responsibility of the judiciary to protect people’s rights. He said unfortunately corruption became rife after the death of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and first premier of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan. Now favouritism and nepotism had been rooted deeply in society, re remarked.

Justice Saqib Nisar said the country was facing a great challenge of corruption and there was dire need to launch jihad against it. The country could not make progress without elimination of corruption mafia. He underlined need for self-improvement and promotion of Pakistani nationalism. “You will have to tell yourself always that first of all you are a Pakistani, and then anything else. After my Fajar prayers daily, I repeat it to myself that first of all, I’m a Pakistani.”

Criticising education mafia, he said that they were not educating children but selling education. The public sector lacked quality education and parents were forced to pay Rs33,000 even for kindergarten classes. He warned that promotion of education as business would not be allowed. He said the upcoming governments should devise policies for promotion of public sector school education to discourage commercialisation of education.

The CJP regretted that health had not remained a priority of the successive governments in Pakistan.

He said ‘tanker mafia’ in Karachi was selling a water tanker for Rs8,000 to Rs12,000 without any check. Unfortunately, this phenomenon had reached Islamabad also, he added.

Earlier, addressing members of district bar, he encouraged female lawyers to join the profession. He said one day they would harvest the crop of their hard work. The female lawyers present in his welcome ceremony were like his daughters and sisters, he added.

About shifting of district courts to newly constructed Judicial Complex, CJ Saqib Nisar said he intervened in the situation when uncertainty was prevailing among the whole legal fraternity. He said he did not do an extraordinary job but he played his part.

The CJ also visited Multan Nishtar Hospital and expressed his dissatisfaction over health facilities being provided to patients there.

Multan Deputy Commissioner Mudasir Riaz Malik accompanied the CJ during the surprise visit. He promised to improve the situation.

He thanked lawyers for giving him a red-carpet welcome. He announced establishment of Income Tax Tribunal in Multan, which would be functional in the next three months.

Multan High Court Bar Association President Khalid Mehmood Ashraf presented his welcome address and presented a bouquet to him.

Online adds: Meanwhile, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Ahmad Ali M Sheikh has said that judges are holding crucial posts; therefore, they should not become dictators.

Addressing a ceremony in Karachi on Saturday, the SHC CJ said that someone among the magistrates sitting here is son of a labourer and someone is son of a farmer. These boys have worked hard and got this status.

He exhorted judges should pledge that they have to work very hard. Judges should not become dictators because they are holding important posts.

He said no case is high profile case for judges. There can be delay in our decisions, but there is no ill intent therein. Judge has no viewpoint of his own and they should keep in view their conscience while deciding all cases, he added.