Lawyers should be adept in history, mathematics, literature: CJP Khosa

LAHORE: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, on Saturday said there was a time when the legal profession used to enjoy great respect, however, things have changed unfortunately.

Speaking at the function of a private law college here, he said all professions are noble but three professions were generally considered to be the noblest of all and they were divinity, law and medicine. He said down the ages, these professions had been looked up with reverence. In divinity, he said, the holy personages treated souls of the people, doctors dealt with the body of individuals but on the other hand, lawyers dealt with the ailments of a society ranging from economic, criminal, property issues and civil rights. So the range of activities the lawyers indulged in were far wider than those by medicine and divinity, the chief justice said.

The Chief Justice said the holy personages and doctors treated one person at a time while the lawyer served rights of a whole society by picking up a fight for his or her client, which is a far nobler cause than divinity and medicine. “If I were to rate one, I would rate legal profession as the noblest that a human being can think of,” he said. The chief justice shared with the audience memories of his childhood when he witnessed tremendous respect for lawyers and judges due to the nobility attached to the legal profession only. He said unfortunately, things have changed although recently from 2007 to 2009 the legal community in Pakistan earned more respect as they championed the very big cause of the independence of judiciary. However, he regretted that the story is not that rosy.

Referring to a quote from famous English jurist Lord Denning, Chief Justice Khosa advised the law students to have command over history, mathematics and literature to become a good lawyer. He said in the current age, a lawyer needs to have a much more well-rounded personality as he is now supposed to deal with multiple statutes and other disciplines in the courts. “Unfortunately, in this country, every social, economic and political issue ultimately ends up in court of law,” said the chief justice.

SC Justice Umar Atta Bandial said not only hard work but truthfulness is also imperative for working in the courts. A lawyer who loses credibility is of no worth even if he is the best lawyer in the world. Lawyers should focus on their character building, he concluded.