CIVIL SOCIETY PUSHES FOR PAKISTAN CHIEF JUSTICE’S TRIAL

ISLAMABAD: Civil society activists are pushing for Pakistan’s Chief Justice Saqib Nisar to be put on trial on the charge of transgressing his constitutional authority.

The Pakistan’s Women’s Action Forum and pro-democracy citizens have filed a complaint against Nisar with the Supreme Judicial Council in Islamabad. Politicians Farhatullah Babar and Afrasiab Khatak and activists Nighat Said Khan, Farieha Aziz and Rubina Sehgal are among 98 signatories to the petition filed on October 10 that accused the CJ of misconduct.

Seeking an inquiry, the petition alleged that “through his remarks and actions, Nisar has indulged in conduct unbecoming of a judge, politicised the judiciary, violated the principles of the separation of powers, and demonstrated negligence and inability to adjudicate in any independent, neutral, non-partisan and impartial manner”.

The petition said if this complaint is taken up, the inquiry must be done by a judicial officer other than the respondent to ensure proceedings are fair.

Activist Aziz said they were advised against filing the petition to avert “contempt proceedings” and “an inquisition with harassment”, but they had decided to take the risks for “reclaiming the balance of powers and restoring some semblance of a systemic and pro-people, democratic method of regular dispensation of justice in Pakistan”.