Courts won't interfere if rulers do their job right: Chief Justice Khosa

LAHORE: Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa said on Saturday that if the rulers did their jobs right then the courts won't feel the need to interfere. 

The chief justice was addressing a ceremony after chairing a meeting on police reforms. 

"Whenever a matter captures the public's attention, people expect a suo motu notice," he said. "If the government institution is active beforehand then the court does not need to take a notice on it."

He said that approaching the Supreme Court should be the final resort for people seeking justice, stressing that the dispensation of justice must take place much earlier in the legal system.  

The chief justice said that he didn't think it was appropriate for senior officials to present themselves time and again in front of the courts.

"One should maintain the dignity of a police official or any other person who appears before the court," he said.

The chief justice said that if the Supreme Court starts interfering in matters of the government from day one then it creates difficulties.

He said that for justice to be dispensed to the masses expeditiously, it was necessary for police to conduct their investigations efficiently. 

"My first task as chief justice was to protect the dignity of those who seek justice from the courts," he said. 

He praised the courts for wrapping up cases and providing people with "swift justice" in a short span of time. 

"Model courts wrapped up 24,000 cases related to drugs," he said. "Magistrate cases announced decisions in 27,469 cases."

Justice Khosa said that concrete steps had been taken to counter false testimonies. He said that the investigating officer will also be treated like a suspect in a case of false testimony. 

"From now on, the investigation officer will be held responsible for his investigation," he said. "It's not possible that the investigation officer does not know the truth."

He urged judges and the courts to do their part as well in ensuring that cases of perjury are identified. 

Justice Khosa also said that it was not the job of the investigation officer to prove everything that the complainant says.