LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday strongly rejected the idea of judicial martial law and made it clear that not only he but all the 17 judges of the Supreme Court would step down if anyone tried to derail democracy in the country.

Denouncing the question raised in media discussions whether a judicial martial law had been imposed in the country by the Supreme Court, he said, “The judges of the Supreme Court cannot even think about any judicial martial law as they do not know anything beyond the Constitution. And there is no room in the Constitution for any kind of martial law.”

Addressing a gathering held in Aiwan-i-Iqbal to observe the 80th death anniversary of national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal, he said that judiciary was totally independent. “As a father of the institution, I promise to you never to yield to any pressure,” he added.

“The true spirit of the slogan of ‘Respect for vote’ lies in ensuring the fundamental rights of people,” said the chief justice in an apparent reference to the ongoing campaign being run by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif with the same motto since his disqualification in the Panama Papers case by the Supreme Court.

CJP Nisar said it was the duty of the state to provide the masses their basic rights and if it did not do so, someone had to fill the void.

“What is wrong with it if the judiciary ensures protection of fundamental rights of people?” he asked the audience. “Pak­is­tan was created after a constant struggle and countless sacrifices. And only democracy could prevail in Pakistan.”

He regretted the poor state of affairs in the country and said that had the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal lived a little more the condition of the country would have been different.

He expressed disappointment over the state of the education sector and lamented that institutions were being demolished. He said education was the fundamental right of people and it was the duty of the state to ensure all people had equal access to it. He expressed his determination to end discrimination in the education sector.

The chief justice deplored that land of an educational institution (Punjab University) was being handed over to the government for the construction of a grid station.

Sharing his recent experiences, the CJP said that the condition of hospitals in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was disappointing.

He pointed out that there were no ultrasound machines and female staff to deal with female patients in the hospitals of KP.

He said judiciary would fight for people’s rights as “I am the chief justice of the masses and of the state.”

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2018