Honest leadership a must for country’s progress: CJP

LAHORE: The Chief Justice (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday said there should be honest and dedicated leadership for the development and progress of any country.

Addressing an event at the Lahore Institute of Health Sciences (LIHS), he remarked there should be institutions in the country to look after the people if the government fails to provide services to them. The CJ regretted that the country lacked the state of Madina like justice system. “Pakistan is an ideological state, yet its judicial system does not reflect the values of an Islamic republic. The country’s judicial system is not the same as that of Madina-like Islamic republic,” he added.

Justice Nisar said the province of Balochistan lacked academic institutions to cater to the needs of its population. He lamented that the educational institutions in the province lacked basic needs such as toilets and clean drinking water. “Toilets, clean drinking water is not available in the academic institutions in Balochistan,” he said. Asserting that an ideal nation state could be exemplified in the ways Hazrat Umar (RA) reformed Madina, the top judge stressed the significant role of judiciary in the provision of fundamental rights to citizens. He suggested that the education and health sectors should not be commoditised. “The education and health should not be used for business ventures,” he added. Concluding, the chief justice, who is set to retire on Jan 17, stated that he raised the issues pertinent to the country’s survival during his tenure.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took the suo motu notice of excessive payments made to the Independent Power Producers and issued notices to them. During the hearing of multiple public interest cases at the Lahore Registry of the Supreme Court, the chief justice observed that billions-of-rupee payments made to the IPPs had increased the circular debt of the country. “Apparently, the matter involves Rs1.5 billion,” added the chief justice. Issuing the notices to 10 IPPs, the chief justice fixed the case for hearing on Sunday (today).