MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 15 (APP): Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan on Monday said that the superior courts will never compromise on their dignity in dispensing justice to the masses.
Addressing the 11th Judicial Conference under the auspices of the High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir here on Monday as chief guest, he pointed out that administrative injustice was the biggest reason behind increasing litigations in the courts that have to intervene to provide remedy to the sufferers and also stressed the lawyers participating in the conference to ensure implementations of the courts’ orders rather defying in the interest of clients.
The conference was presided over by Chief Justice High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Justice Raja Sadaqat Hussain Khan and was participated by Judges of the higher judiciary, subordinate courts, Minister Law and Parliamentary Affairs Mian Abdul Waheed, Secretary Law Idress Abbasi, Law officers and a large number of lawyers including senior lawyers of the Supreme court.
The conference titled “Responsibility of Judiciary, Government, Lawyers and Litigants in the Dispensation of Justice” was told by the additional registrar of the high court in his presentation that all the cases of 2018 and earlier had been disposed of by the High Court and subordinate district courts due to the specific administrative measures taken by the Chief Justice of High Court during the last two years.
Senior advocate and President Supreme Court Bar Association Raja Sajjad Ahmad, Sardar Hamid Raza Khan, President High Court Bar Association and Secretary Law Idress Abbasi presented their keynote thesis on the subject at the conference pointing out the hindrances in the dispensation of justice including bad governance, non-cooperation of the lawyers and non-awareness of the litigants.
The CJ in his concluding speech said that the provision of Justice was the sole quality of Almighty Allah. “We, the Judges, only deliver the Judgments that might contain flaws but we should deliver with honesty and best of our abilities and Knowledge,” he emphasized the participants saying if somebody or an institution thinks the Judgment or any order of the court is wrong, they should go in appeal or approach the apex court for correction but defying a judgment or order of any court will not be allowed.
“The Judges are under oath without any fear to protect the rights of the people including fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and powers including the contempt proceedings were granted us by the legislature in the interest of the public,” Justice Akram added saying the judiciary was working within their domain and the executive should also work within their domain with best of abilities and without any discrimination to provide relieve to the masses.
He said the government should empower institutions such as the ombudsmen, Accountability Bureau and other bodies without any interference and appoint credible heads with legal protection of tenure so that they can function independently without any bias leaving the heavy burden of litigation from the courts.
He said to raise the confidence of the people in the courts, implementation of their orders and Judgment was mandatory and nobody would dare to defy such orders nor would be allowed to blow orders of the court in the air and stressed the lawyers to stand with courts’ orders rather protecting interests of clients as they are supposed to be the officers of the courts.
Mentioning the code of conduct he said that the Judiciary always works as per the domain prescribed in the law.
Chief Justice High Court Justice Raja Sadaqat Hussain in his speech said that the High Court and subordinate Judiciary were trying their best to provide speedy justice to the masses since he took over as CJ High Court.
He said the reforms had been introduced in the High Court and the subordinate courts for the speedy disposal of the cases.
He said the Judiciary in the region has significantly improved its performance in recent years by disposing of thousands
of cases and was far ahead in the ranking as quoted by people.
Minister Law and Parliamentary Affairs Mian Abdul Waheed took a keen interest in the conference taking notes of the speeches and assured the conference in his speech that the government will implement all the outcomes of the conference and will provide maximum resources despite its constraints for the speedy dispensation of the justice.