Court Takes an Activist Role in Pakistan. Not Everyone Sees It as Just.
- 6 years ago
Court Takes an Activist Role in Pakistan. Not Everyone Sees It as Just.
Two government ministers have also been summoned to appear before the Supreme Court in contempt cases,
and lower courts have issued contempt summonses to Mr. Sharif and his daughter and political heir, Maryam Nawaz, because of speeches critical of the judiciary.
Recently, though, Chief Justice Nisar of the Supreme Court has become something of an activist: He conducted a personal inspection of a Lahore hospital during a health-related case, told the father of a young murder victim to call him directly if problems arose with the police investigation
and strongly criticized the government for its inability to stop human trafficking in Punjab Province.
Mr. Sharif and his allies have repeatedly accused the court of working hand in glove with the country’s powerful military to have him removed, a claim both the military
and the justices deny, and of exercising continued bias in cases involving the governing party and its officials.
Mr. Rehman appeared that The judges should not start trying to solve the problems themselves.
The judiciary, he said, should not let "anyone suffer from injustice." The Supreme Court
and lower courts have responded to speech critical of the judiciary by pursuing a number of contempt citations.
But the spurt of activity has undoubtedly come at a time of escalating — and direct — confrontation between the country’s top judicial body and its leading political party, a clash
that traces to the court’s contentious ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a corruption case last year.
Two government ministers have also been summoned to appear before the Supreme Court in contempt cases,
and lower courts have issued contempt summonses to Mr. Sharif and his daughter and political heir, Maryam Nawaz, because of speeches critical of the judiciary.
Recently, though, Chief Justice Nisar of the Supreme Court has become something of an activist: He conducted a personal inspection of a Lahore hospital during a health-related case, told the father of a young murder victim to call him directly if problems arose with the police investigation
and strongly criticized the government for its inability to stop human trafficking in Punjab Province.
Mr. Sharif and his allies have repeatedly accused the court of working hand in glove with the country’s powerful military to have him removed, a claim both the military
and the justices deny, and of exercising continued bias in cases involving the governing party and its officials.
Mr. Rehman appeared that The judges should not start trying to solve the problems themselves.
The judiciary, he said, should not let "anyone suffer from injustice." The Supreme Court
and lower courts have responded to speech critical of the judiciary by pursuing a number of contempt citations.
But the spurt of activity has undoubtedly come at a time of escalating — and direct — confrontation between the country’s top judicial body and its leading political party, a clash
that traces to the court’s contentious ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a corruption case last year.