MUZAFFARABAD: Term­ing corruption and incompetence major hurdles in the way of the country’s progress and prosperity, Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali on Saturday called for self-accountability, rather than criticism of others.

“Corruption and incompetence are eating away at society like termite and unless we do away with them, progress and prosperity will remain next to impossible,” the CJP said in his address as chief guest to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Judicial Conference 2016. “In any civilised society, the justice system has to be impartial and robust. In the absence of an exhaustive and effective judicial system, society plunges into chaos and conflict.”

He said the major reason for the pendency of around 60 per cent cases in superior courts of Pakistan was incompetence, indifference and negative thinking of official institutions, whereas 20 per cent cases were the outcome of dishonesty and egoism of litigants as well as vexatious litigations. “Unless we get rid of basic social ills, establishment of a vibrant society is beyond the bounds of possibility,” he said.

CJP Jamali urged judges to demonstrate a positive attitude towards both parties during the course of hearing, keeping in mind the fear of God, tolerance and politeness. “The office of a judge carries a respectable status and it is the responsibility of judges to bring changes in (their) attitudes and meet the demands of the Constitution and law,” he said.

The Chief Justice of the AJK Supreme Court, Justice Mohammad Azam Khan, said that an effective judicial system was sine qua non for a peaceful society. “The standard of justice hinges on the ability and attitude of judges, overall judicial atmosphere and cooperation from the bar,” he said.

He regretted that AJK lacked institutions for providing legal education and said that shortage of judges and non-judicial staff and inadequate building infrastructure also contributed to delay in dispensation of justice.

Referring to what he called poor investigations by ‘inexperienced’ police officers that led to flawed decisions, Justice Khan suggested the government to raise a dedicated cell of the most competent investigative officers and establish a forensic science laboratory for the sake of speedy and just disposal of cases.

AJK High Court Chief Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal in his speech said that the number of pending cases in high court and lower courts of AJK stood at 45,350.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2016