PESHAWAR, Jan 5: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan on Saturday said the judiciary was doing its best to steer the country out of crises but when all other institutions were ‘rusted’, the judiciary alone could not lift the entire burden for the purpose.

“Problems faced by the country have increased to an alarming extent and on top of them are corruption, nepotism, unemployment and lethargy on part of government officials. Recruitments on political consideration have now been a common practice,” the CJ told a New Year reception for the staff of the high court here.

The CJ said all constitutional and legal bodies should mend their ways and do away with wrong practices.

He expressed annoyance over the attitude of the rulers and said implementation of the Constitution and laws could bring them on the right track.

“The country is very dear to us as it was achieved after rendering valuable sacrifices. We would not let any conspiracy against it succeed,” he said.

Justice Dost Mohammad said the prime objective of the judiciary was that rule of law and supremacy of the constitution should prevail in the country as the same was panacea to all problems confronted by them.

He added that when the rich and the poor would be treated with same yardstick and the influential people would not consider themselves above the law, the country would develop and prosper.

He said the trust of the people had been increasing on the courts and therefore, the responsibility of judiciary towards the people had increased.

The chief justice said since its creation, Pakistan had been confronted by crises but it overcame most of them like the devastating earthquake in 2005 and the countrywide floods in 2010.

He said he was hopeful that the current crises would end, the New Year would bring peace and prosperity to the country, and Peshawar and other areas would once again be bustling with activities with the people enjoying the life.

Justice Dost Mohammad praised the high court staff for performing their duties without temptation for any reward and said they were vital organ of the criminal justice system as without them, the dispensation of justice to the people was impossible.

He said the human rights cell of the high court was upgraded to the directorate level. He added that last year, the directorate had received 3,844 applications and that applicants were provided relief in 3,174 cases, while 110 applications were converted into human rights petitions.

The chief justice said the launch of an FM radio station by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy was being finalised as permission had already been received from Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and soon staff would be hired for it.He said the radio station’s launch was aimed at imparting legal knowledge to the people, Justice Dost Mohammad said the academy had been successfully functioning for three months and during that period, training programmes for five batches of judicial officers, and several seminars, symposiums and workshops were held.

He highlighted several development projects launched or to be launched in near future, including installation of an elevator at the high court specifically for disabled and senior citizens, construction of judicial complexes in several cities and tehsils across the province; acquiring land for construction of Chitral Circuit bench; construction of hostel in the judicial academy, etc.

The chief justice said with the support of donor agencies including UNDP several other projects had been in progress including renovation of courts in Malakand, establishment of information centres for litigants, automation of district courts records, setting up of digital library, etc.

Justice Dost Mohammad expressed annoyance over creation of hurdles by some departments of the provincial government to the launch of mobile courts in the province. He said the court had completed all homework for the mobile courts’ launch.

“Two spacious coaches will be used for that purpose. The judicial officers will visit faraway areas to provide justice to people on their doorstep,” he said.