CJP tells female judges to be relaxed in judicial affairs

Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa imparted advice to female judges on Sunday, saying they "should be relaxed and be themselves".

Addressing the concluding session of 'Women Judges Conference' in Lahore, CJP Khosa said that because female judges work in an environment dominated by men, they are expected to be very compassionate, kind and considerate "like mothers".

"But we have noticed that when they become judges, somehow because the whole atmosphere is male-dominated [...] a 'she judge' also likes to behave like a 'he judge' so that she is taken seriously.

"This is one thing that we have noticed, that she does not even smile in the courtroom lest anyone else may get some impression," the chief justice said, noting this was a problem that male judges did not experience.

"Male judges don't have that problem. They would cut jokes with the lawyers, they would relax the atmosphere and they would be comfortable with everybody else appearing in the court.

"But the female judge somehow has to change her personality. She has to become an iron lady so that nobody messes with her.

"So this is something that I wanted to discuss with you that just relax. Don't become ' he' judges," he added.

The country's top judge said that female judges are "she judges" because they are better at many things.

"You are compassionate, you are kind, you are considerate and when litigants will see you in court, they will feel that they can be in safe hands, very kind hands.

"The atmosphere has to be very relaxed in a courtroom so that the litigant feels comfortable and the lawyers also can come up with whatever they want to say in support of their clients [...] I've seen women judges that have a very stern look so please relax, people will respect you, people will be very considerate towards you.

"Just because you are women judges, you don't have to impose yourself upon everybody and try to put on a show and to represent yourself as something which you're not," he remarked.

"Be women in the courtroom as well, be relaxed and be yourself. Don't put on a show."

CJP Khosa noted that there have been multiple instances when people have submitted applications to shift their cases from women's courts.

"They are just not comfortable, they can't see a lady sitting there as a judge," he said, attributing it to "social taboos" but observing that people are getting more comfortable with the idea.

"Once they deal with you [...] I'm sure this distinction between women judges and men judges will disappear," he said.