CJP lauds Justice Azmat’s acumen

ISLAMABAD: A full court reference was held in the Supreme Court on the eve of retirement of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed wherein the bench and bar paid rich tributes to the retiring judge.

Attorney General Anwar Mansoor, Supreme Court Bar Association President Aman Ullah Kanrani and Syed Amjad Shah, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council addressed the full court reference and paid rich tributes to Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed.

Speaking on the occasion on the eve of his retirement, Justice Azmat said that “it is an independent Bar, which in the ultimate analysis, is the guarantor of an Independent Judiciary, therefore, I am equally confident that the Bar will continue to insulate itself from outside influences.

“I leave this court in the protection of the Bar whose members are sensitive to the fact that their role, relevance and respect is a reflection of the role, relevance and respect of this court and, therefore, will never allow the dignity of this court and thus of the Bar to be compromised”, Justice Azmat said.

He said that he is equally confident that his brother judges will never lose sight of the fact that our legal system has evolved and developed brick by brick, judgment by judgment. “This legal journey will go on and will not be short circuited through short-cuts,” he said adding that he is also confident that his brother judges are aware that divergence of opinion in respect of the understanding, but not misunderstanding of the law, is a blessing to be celebrated.

“My brother judges are also fully cognizant of the difference between Judicial Individualism and Judicial Anarchy, Justice Azmat said. Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa also paid rich tributes to the outgoing Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and said that during his time here at the Supreme Court, Sheikh Sahib had rendered many landmark judgments and settled many uncertain issues.

The chief justice said that his faithfulness to constitutionalism and rule of law has been a hallmark of his judgments and his adherence to law and law alone is writ large in his opinions.

“Sheikh Sahib’s ability to grasp and comprehend complex points in a matter of seconds and his lordship’s skill of reducing intricate and complicated points of law to simple propositions are only a few of his many qualities that make Sheikh Sahib such an excellent Judge”, the CJ said.

SCBA President Aman Ulalh Kanrani in his speech said that Justice Azmat Saeed will be remembered for his pleasant conduct during court proceeding. He said that while keeping his focus on the point in issue, he would always bring down highly tense and awkward situations in the courtroom to normalcy with his witty and pungent observations that would sometimes burst into laughter.

“His memorable use of the phrase of ‘Sicilian Mafia’, I think also evoked Chief Justice’s literary impulse who prefaced his opinion in Panama Case while making reference to Mario Puzo’s Godfather”, Kanrani praised Justice Azmat.

Kanrani said that Justice Azmat’s command on election laws and election matters and the solemnity with which his Lordship dealt with the qualifications and disqualification of members of Parliament is salutary.

Similarly, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Syed Amjad Shah the judgments delivered by Justice Azmat speak of his grip over legal matters, adding his judgments will be a source of great information as well as help them in enhancing their professional capabilities.

He also lauded the role being played by the Chief Justice of Pakistan in disposing of large number of the civil and criminal cases. However, he said that it is also the responsibility of the Supreme Court to ensure protection of fundamental and constitutional rights of the people of the country.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed was appointed as an additional judge in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on December 1, 2004. On November 17, 2011, he took oath as the LHC chief justice and served as the high court’s top judge till May 31, 2012.

Moreover, he was among the LHC judges who refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) on November 3, 2007.