Pakistan

According to Dawn, Tuesday, 08 Sep, 2009,

“No one can imagine the amount of pressure exerted upon the consultees for the selection of certain persons, but by the grace of Allah none of the consultees has succumbed to pressure,” the chief justice said at a ceremony here on Monday to mark the beginning of the new judicial year.

The worthy chief justice remarked this in relation to the appointment of judges to the superior courts. It speaks of the level of nepotism, corruption and politicization of everything important happening in our country. Whereas, it is highly appreciable that the chief justice and his team have not succumbed to the pressures, it very clearly reflects how hard it has become to remain honest. I only hope that these pressures do not take the form of threats and black mailings as the honest people too are but humans.

As reported in the local press, recently, the Punjab governor, moved a list of seven ‘Jiyala lawyers’ to the chief justice of the Lahore High Court as ‘recommendations received in the Governor’s Secretariat’ for the slots of judges of the LHC. The chief justice not only rejected the governor’s nominees but also expressed his displeasure over the violation of the Constitution because the summary for appointment of lawyers for the slots of judges had to be initiated from the office of the LHC chief justice.

Whereas, the worthy chief justice has set honesty, uprightness and professionalism as conditions for those recommended from amongst the legal fraternity for appointment as judges to the superior judiciary so that no one could raise fingers at them, it speaks of foul play on part of the worthy governor. Does democracy imply politicisation of government institutions? What use are the sermons and addresses of advocating high moral values, if the deeds by these leaders contradict what they profess! This is, unfortunately the sorry state of affairs.The ones who are supposed to uphold the constitution are the ones trying to violate it.