Chief Justice foresees lawyers' success for independent judiciary

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has foreseen lawyers' success in their struggle for independent judiciary, rule of law and supremacy of Constitution. He was addressing a reception of the District Bar Association, Faisalabad, late night on Sunday.
He was speaking on 'Public interest litigation in Pakistan'. On this occasion, presidents and general secretaries of the bar associations, office-bearers of the bar councils and a large number of lawyers were also present.
He said the civil society has also joined their ranks for securing constitutionalism and the independence of judiciary. He said the laws must be reformed and modernised so as to correct wrongs, undo injustice, restore rights and maintain equilibrium in the society.
"The need of the time is that law should be utilised so as to maintain peace, sustain progress and bring out improvement in the living condition of the people," the CJ added.
Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said the society could sustain and attain success only when it was governed under the Constitution, which furnished the principle and system of governance.
"Every institution and every public functionary has to abide by the Constitution and the Constitution ordains the separation of Judiciary from the Executive and its independence", said Justice Iftikhar, adding this is precisely what the bar is struggling for, showing unity and working in unison with the members of the bench.
The chief justice said he sees common expression amongst civil society and the people at the grassroots to stand up and struggle for securing constitutionalism and the independence of judiciary.
He, while commending lawyers for unity and solidarity amongst their ranks, said these were rare and unprecedented. "But it has become possible because of the cause, which a grandiose and sublime one, that is, to secure the rule of law", he claimed.
He said the struggle by the lawyers community is to establish and sustain the system of "separation of powers", as mandated by the Constitution letting each state organ to work uninterruptedly within its sphere.
Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said the will of the people cannot be resisted and the determination of the members of the bar cannot be suppressed as they are bound to succeed because the fight is for a noble cause.
Establishing the independence of the judiciary and enabling the courts to work in an atmosphere conducive to the dispensation of free, fair and impartial justice, is a worthwhile objective and it is an ideal worth struggling for, he added.
Earlier, political activists and members of civil society of every other leaning and affiliation, running into thousands, were present in and outside the District Bar Association, Faisalabad, premises here on Saturday to accord welcome to the chief justice of the Pakistan, lftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who reached the city late at night.
Lawyers from all over the Punjab and other provinces carrying banners, flags, placards reached the venue where elaborate arrangements were made to accommodate thousands of lawyers, mostly inside the building of DBAF.
Similarly, political workers, mostly belonging to the city, turned out at the venue in big number, dominated by PPP, though the presence of PML-N, PTI, Khaksar Tehrik, ANP and JI was also impressive.
PPP-Punjab President Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PML-N MPA Rana Sanaullah and PPP MPA Rana Aftab both belong to Faisalabad were present there. All the parties have set up their stage outside the roads and the speakers were delivering speeches against the military regime.