Press Association of SC reporters: Justice Isa administers oath to elected members

ISLAMABAD: Justice Qazi Faez Isa has said, "How very different this country would have been, if oaths were abided by".

He was addressing, after administering oath to elected members of the Press Association of Supreme Court Reporters, at the Supreme Court building, here on Monday.

The judges, other constitutional office-holders, and the members of the armed forces are required to take oath as prescribed in the constitution.

He said a free and robust press was the backbone of a democracy. It serves both as a conscience and as a mirror. Without a free press, democracy quickly descends into an empty word, with its principles reduced to hollow ideas. Throughout history, totalitarian regimes have suppressed the press and imposed censorship.

"In Pakistan freedom of press is stipulated as a fundamental right. The fundamental rights, enshrined in the Constitution are not favours which may be bestowed on the people. Violating fundamental rights is violation of the Constitution."

"Obedience to the Constitution is the inviolable obligation of every citizen, anyone curtailing it is an enemy of the people and of the Constitution, and must be held accountable," said Justice Faez.

He stated when citizens fight for press freedoms; they fight for their own rights.

If the people surrender their right to free speech and expression or permit the censorship of the press, it will not be long before other guaranteed freedoms are taken away.

"A free press is vital to disseminate the voice of the people." Justice Faez said it was also necessary to expose injustice, wrongdoing, corruption and highhandedness.

Almighty Allah also enjoins that we speak up against injustice, wrongdoing and corruption, to countenance restrictions on free speech and expression offends an essential article of the Islamic faith.

During the premiership of Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan signed and bound itself to the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights".

Pakistan had the distinction of being among the original 48 signatories to the declaration, which has now been signed by 150 countries.

Article 19 of this declaration relates to press freedom.

He said Pakistan made an auspicious beginning, righteous commitment by Pakistan's first elected prime minister 72 years ago.

Is this commitment and guarantee of a free press burning bright or is it being extinguished, he questioned.

He told that Reporters Without Frontiers published the World Press Freedom Index evaluating 180 countries and ranked them according to the prevalence of the press freedom.

"Its rankings reveal that we are not living up to what Pakistan's founders wanted as in 2017 and 2018 Pakistan stood at the very low 139th position in terms of Freedom Index, it then slipped to 142nd position in 2019 and then took the plunge to a shameful 145th position."

Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a member of the Legislative Council stood before a foreign occupying power and spoke against the Press Act, which he said: "was a striking blow at the liberty of the press, which we all prize."-

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020