CJP hopes judiciary will continue to work for human rights

ISLAMABAD: A full court reference was held in the honour of outgoing Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry here on Wednesday, marking the final day in office for the top judge of the country.

During his address, Chief Justice Chaudhry expressed hope that under incoming Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, the Supreme Court would continue to work for human rights.

“May the judiciary of the coming years seek to further expand the scope of and enforce the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution and dispense justice freely, fairly and expeditiously to litigations.”

Chief Justice Chaudhry thanked all the judges for playing a role towards dispensation of justice. He said after 2007, all judges, lawyers, students and political workers played their role in the struggle for an independent judiciary. The chief justice also praised the role of the country’s media in this regard.

“I cannot find words to praise the courage shown by my brother judges who were deposed following the actions of 03 November, 2007.”

“Today’s judiciary served each and every citizen of the country. It is actively engaged in ensuring transparency and accountability besides elimination of corruption in the country. Now it is impossible for an individual to lie about his/her educational certificates and/or assets.”

In his farewell address, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry ruled out the possibility of a true democratic set up in the absence of free and transparent elections. “We, as a democratic state, should act upon the principles laid down by Quaid-e-Azam in their true sense and spirit,” he asserted.

Chief Justice Chaudhry said the judiciary worked for the cause of democracy, adding the SC played its role in holding local bodies’ elections. However, he underscored the need for doing more to purge the country of the scourge of corruption.

He also thanked his family for their continued support to him in the course of discharging his responsibilities. He also acknowledged his family’s support during the period of his confinement.

The incoming Chief Justice, Tassaduq Husain Jilani paid homage to Chief Justice Chaudhry referring to him as an “icon, a catalyst and a phenomenon who with his courage changed the course of the constitutional jurisprudence, who put an end to the painful saga of constitutional deviations, who expanded the social role of the rule of law, who created greater awareness among the people of the values of democracy and the meaning of Fundamental Rights provisions of the Constitution.”