No clash between govt, judiciary: Justice Javed Iqbal

LAHORE: Justice Javed Iqbal said that there was no confrontation between the government and the judiciary.

Talking to the media after a ceremony held in his honour by Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) here on Saturday, he said that the judiciary was not crossing its constitutional limits." The Supreme Court's duty is to interpret the constitution and its doing the same," he added.

He said that it was a wrong impression that there was risk of collision between institutions." The Supreme Court and the executive are constitutional institutions and there is no chance of confrontation, if both work for the welfare of the country and masses", he said.

He said that the government was implementing several SC decisions and it was a wrong impression that court verdicts were not being implemented. However, there has been a delay in their implementation, he added.

Justice Javed Iqbal said that he would continue to work for the Abbottabad Commission after retirement and the commission's report would be made public soon.

He refuted the impression that the judiciary wanted to come to power and said that it was working as per the constitution.

He applauded army's role and said that it was defending the country in a good manner and did not intervene despite several chances.

Javed said that corruption could only be eradicated after establishing a system of self-accountability. There is a decline in corruption due to SC verdicts but still there is need for further improvement, he added.

He said that confrontation should be avoided in the best interest of the country.

Earlier, addressing the ceremony, Justice Javed Iqbal said that there was a dire need of reform in the judicial system as poor litigants' problems were not being solved.

He said that lawyers' role in the movement for independent judiciary could not be forgotten and it was necessary for lawyers to adopt restraint as it was for judges.

He said that Parliament was the supreme institution and there should not be any doubt about it.

Justice Azmat Saeed, Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Vice Chairman PbBC Lehrasab Gondal, Chairman PbBC Executive Committee, were also present.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011