Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar addressing a Pakistan Bar Council?s seminar on December 16, 2017. Photo: Geo News screen grab

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LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar urged the public to stop doubting the integrity of the judiciary.

Addressing a Pakistan Bar Council seminar on Saturday, he remarked that the judiciary is akin to an elder, wise person whose advice everyone seeks. ?Judiciary is your baba [old, wise man].?

?We have made all decisions independently with our conscience,? he remarked, adding that people should stop criticising the judiciary for verdicts against them. 

Judges are not part of any plan or any conspiracy. The people who review or comment on decisions of the court should read the verdict first, he said.

He asserted that the judiciary is working independently without any pressure. ?I don?t know where the claims of planned and pressurised judgments are stemming from," he added. 

?You should be proud of the judiciary. We have made the judiciary independent internally.?

CJP also remarked: "All organs of the state are integrated and linked with democracy. If there is no democracy then we will have no Constitution. We have taken an oath to protect the Constitution. It is our responsibility to protect the Constitution."

On the problems faced by the justice system, he said: ?Delay is the biggest vice of our system.? He also claimed that some lawyers charge an exorbitant amount from the people. "Some lawyers charge as much as Rs15million," he pointed out, urging that justice should be dispensed at a lower amount. 

Speaking about the judges? appointment issue, he said that it has been pointed out that some appointments are incompetent.

He reasoned that the process of making an appointment requires feedback of bar members, government, and then judges. ?We ask the bar first because we don?t want judges? viewpoint to affect bar.?

CJP shared that judges are evaluated on three main qualities; integrity, knowledge of law and conduct. ?Integrity is the most important thing for a judge.?

However, he clarified his stance that judges? competency will be reviewed but he won?t allow appointments to increase membership of a certain party. ?Most people want to bring their own person so they challenge the current appointments,? he said, sternly adding ?I will not standby such appointments.?

He accepted that it is possible some incompetent people were hired. ?But we must investigate how we let this happen.?

He remarked that the conditions are quite hard for judges these days, adding ?it has become hard for a judge to survive.?

He added, ?it is my responsibility to improve the institution. However, I want utmost honesty and honesty of purpose from both lawyers and judges.?