ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has stated that the constitution requires elections to be held no later than 90 days after the assembly is dissolved, and he has expressed his hope that the next polls will stick to this timeframe.
The event was hosted by SCBA President Abid S. Zuberi, and the outgoing CJP was the guest of honor.
In retrospect, he emphasized the significance of law enforcement and admitted that clearing the court’s backlog was a top priority. Two thousand cases were closed as a result of last year’s work.
Nonetheless, he conceded that his results were not up to par and said he hoped his legacy would go on after he hung up his cap and gown.
Chief Justice Bandial highlighted that the authority to make decisions lies with the entire company, not just one person.
He spoke highly of the court’s courageous decisions and the young solicitors who argued their cases.
He emphasised the significance of unified Supreme Court and high court bars in maintaining a strong judiciary.
In regards to suo motu notices, CJP Bandial mentioned PTI leader Babar Awan’s appeal to take notice of President Arif Alvi’s tweet concerning contentious bills. He said the court never took suo moto notices in those cases.
“Babar Awan saheb delivered an eloquent speech…I expected him to file a petition with the court. He might apply sometime down the road.
CJP Bandial expressed frustration that the court’s time was being wasted on unrelated cases and stressed the need to protect the constitution and prevent retrials.
To further reassure the public that the judiciary is independent, he vouched for the high court judges’ courage and independence.
following being reinstated following the Lawyers’ Movement fifteen years ago, he joked that he was the “last dinosaur to return to the judiciary.”
During the movement, 15 years ago, I would recite a poem.
“Sweet and brief” speech
He joked about his viral greetings, saying he just wanted to say “good to see you” to the attendees and that he would try to keep his speech “short and sweet.”
Judges and attorneys, he said, counted on the court system to settle a wide range of outstanding matters, and he asked the public to have faith in the rule of law, with the expectation that the judicial system would continue to advance in concert.
In his earlier address, the CJP had voiced dismay at the publication of inaccurate information about him, lamenting the fact that terms like “good to see you” and “short and sweet” had been misconstrued.
But he’d previously claimed he didn’t have anything against the press.
CJ moves out of his home.
The outgoing CJP has meantime relocated from the Chief Justice House to a residence set aside for retired judges. On September 17, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the new Chief Justice, will take the oath of office.
The Islamabad Police have appointed a chief security officer to ensure the nominated CJP has the necessary protections in place.
