KARACHI: It is incumbent upon judiciary to protect the basic rights of people in general, said Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar here on Saturday.
Addressing the SAARCLAW Conference, inaugurated by him to mark its 25th Anniversary, he particularly referred to sou-motto notice taken only recently by the Supreme Court about the plight of a girl child Taiyaba.
He on the occasion also emphasized the provision of affordable and expeditious access to justice to those seeking the same through courts.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan, reaffirming his commitment to the principles of freedom and justice, said members of bar and bench need to be equally cognizant of their responsibilities towards the marginalized sections of the society.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said the SAARC presents an ideal forum in which the regional states can come together to not only envision but also introduce a strong culture of timely and efficient dispensation of justice.
"SAARC has been most successful when it comes to people-to-people cooperation and SAARCLAW is a testament of such cooperation where judges, lawyers, legal academics and law students come under one roof to share experiences and expertise," he elaborated.
Social justice, he said needed to be extended due importance and must not be compromised at any level.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan also paid glowing tributes to Justice Nasim Hasan Shah and said many of his decisions are source of guidance for his juniors.
Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, Mr. Justice K. Sripavan emphasized the need for legislation that may directly benefit the masses and all those approaching the courts in quest of justice.
"SAARC countries must make concerted efforts in this regard," he said and agreed with his counterpart from Pakistan that both bar and bench must play their role for the cause.
Justice K. Sripavan said supremacy of law was prerequisite for the prosperity and healthy growth of any society.
The conference that commenced with the Justice Nasim Hasan Shah Memorial Lecture was also addressed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Barrister Mehmood Mandviwala, President, SAARCLAW and other senior members of legal community from the region.
Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, K.K. Venugopal, the key note speaker made his presentation "Poverty - An Alarming Violation of Human Rights."
The senior lawyer emphasized that the test of progress for any country is not if it has added to the abundance of those who already have much but whether the country could provide to those who have too little.
The event concluded with a discussion on success and failure in the SAARC region.
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