Judiciary doing best to provide cheap, speedy justice: CJP Nasir
09 September, 2014
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk on Monday said the judiciary was doing its best to provide cheap, speedy and impartial justice to the people.
Speaking to a ceremony in connection with new judicial year 2014-15, he said, "In pursuance of the National Judicial Policy of 2009 we have evolved certain institutional checks and measures to ensure that delay in the provision of justice is reduced and eventually eliminated."
The primary obligation of every judge is to preserve, protect and defend the constitution, which should be undertaken without fear or favour, affection or ill will, the CJP expressed while emphasising that judiciary would not only retain its fidelity to the constitution.
The constitution is the only guarantee of the progress, security and development, he said, adding, "We renew our pledge and determination to uphold the constitution, the responsibilities of the judiciary under it and our unwavering resolve to protect, preserve and promote the fundamental rights of the people."
The CJP also said, "We have gathered here not just to uphold the tradition but also to review our performance during the past year, so that future policies of the court can be designed to further justice and protect rights of the people."
"Unfortunately, our resolve is beset with certain difficulties. Painful delays are faced by litigants due to the twin crisis of backlog and delays existing at the Supreme Court and other levels of the judicial hierarchy. My brother judges and I are critically aware of these problems and have tried to design various strategies to resolve them meaningfully," Justice Nasirul Mulk added.
"Our measures have included creation of better institutional mechanisms to ensure timely and prompt disposal of cases as well as seeking co-operation from learned members and representatives of the bar for curtailing the practice of seeking unnecessary adjournments," he said.
"This judicial year started with a carryover case balance of 19.932 cases, a total of 17, 491 new cases were instituted in the SC, of which 13,872 have been disposed of. However, due to the carryover backlog from the previous years, the balance of pending cases before us is a colossal 22,089. Although, we have had a very high disposal rate, our efforts still require further vigour," the CJP maintained.
"I assure you that we are cognizant of our responsibilities to reduce the backlog and are strenuously working towards that goal. An effort to eliminate the backlog of cases is already underway in this court and such efforts shall be pursued in future with greater energy and dynamism," he added.
"I must re-emphasise here that the bar should, as an integral part of the justice delivery mechanism, help the judiciary eliminate the scourge of backlog and pendency. Rights and duties are like two sides of the coin; one cannot exist without the other," the CJP added.
Judges, attorney general and representatives of Pakistan Bar Council attended the ceremony.
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