Human rights protection should be priority: CJ
ISLAMABAD, August 13 2006: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday (Aug 12) said the protection of human rights should be the top priority of the judiciary. He was delivering concluding remarks as chairperson in a panel discussion on “Domestic Application of International Human Rights Norms” held at a local hotel on the second day of a four-day International Judicial Conference being held as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Supreme Court.
Speaking about the importance of the application of human rights norms, the chief justice said human rights should be protected all over the world. He also called upon the lawyers’ community to create awareness amongst the public for protection of their rights through application of human rights norms.
Giving examples of human rights violations as a result of wars and conflicts, he said, “The prided days of so-called sophistication and civilization, to cite a few instances, the two horror stricken world wars, the war of Vietnam, the flaming issues of Palestine and Kashmir, the engagement of warring factions in these bloody conflicts, play their diabolical game that in this modern age, bespeak loudly and paint vividly “the hypocrite on the rampage.”
He noted the same act follows on the stages of Bosnia and Chechnya “where the champions of human rights are laid stark naked”. Speaking about the incident of atrocities on the people of Bosnia, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad said, “Atrocities were committed by Serbs on the people of Bosnia in the name of ethnic cleansing. Does this singular example not shame the whole global humanity where horrendous acts like rape and mutilations are carried out shamelessly on the bodies of the helpless and hapless victims to paint the unspeakable brutal acts, liable to stand as nasty blemish on the face of humanity?”
All crimes are basically moral aberrations and beyond doubt violations of human rights, be it theft, pilferage, robbery, murder, abduction, rape, incest, forgery, perjury or gambling, the explicit or tacit intentions to harm someone, are all charged with spite and immorality, Justice Iftikhar said.
Speakers of the panel including the chief justice of Tajikistan read out their papers on the topic of human rights and highlighted importance of the domestic application of human rights norms.
At the end of the session, a draft resolution was passed with the approval of participants regarding application of human rights norms.
On the second day, a total of 16 sessions were held on different topics and presided over by different chairpersons including judges of the Supreme Court and chief justices of various countries participating in the moot.
The topics included “The Role of Judiciary in Good Governance”, “Public Interest Litigation and the Role of Judiciary”, “Domestic Application of International Human Rights Norms”, Cyber Laws”, “Legal/Judicial Education”, “The Role of Judiciary as the Catalyst of Change”, “Judiciary and the Issue of Gender Bias”, “Corruption – A Multidimensional Menace”, “Child Abduction and Trans-national Jurisdiction”, “Organized Crime and the Role of Judiciary”, “The Role of Media in Dispensation of Justice”, “Judicial Review of Administrative Actions”, “Consumer Protection and the Role of Judiciary”, “Family Laws and Judicial Protection”, Role of the Bar in Protection of Human Rights” and “Case Flow Management and Court Automation”.
These sessions were presided over by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice of Indonesia Dr Bagir Manan, Chief Justice of Slovak Republic Milan Karabin, Justice Dr Abdullah Muhammad of Saudi Arabia, Chief Justice of Seychelles V Alleear, Chief Justice of Russian Federation Vyacheslav M Lebedev, Chief Justice of Mauritius Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay, Chief Justice of Gambia Abdou Kareem Savage, Justice (Retd) Cliffard Wallace of United States of America, Chief Justice of Nepal Dilip Kumar Paudel, Chief Justice of Afghanistan Maulvi Fazal Wahab, Chief Justice of Yemen Isam Abdulwahab Al-Smawi, President of Federal Supreme Court of Burundi Justice Mrs Ntakaburimvo Marie as chairperson. Judges of the Supreme Court and Chief Election Commissioner conducted the session as co-chairpersons.
Judges of the Federal Shariat Court, chief justices of Sindh and NWFP, judges of the high courts, a large number of foreign delegates and advocates of the Supreme Court, office-bearers of the Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association participated in the sessions held to discuss various topics and took part in passing resolutions.
The resolutions passed during the sessions would be discussed by the committee to prepare recommendations for approval on the concluding day.
Meanwhile, a resolution on expeditious dispensation of justice was passed to put in maximum efforts to prevent highhandedness against women, ensure rule of law and end disparities among various sectors of life.
Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi while chairing the session said the judiciary has always been alive to needs of the common people.
He said judiciary must earn trust of people who often seek support of court against strong segments who make them subject to social brutalities.
Amir Chatta, a senior advocate from India, in his address said public interest litigation is seen as a tool of an active, alive and innovative judiciary to provide justice to the poor and deprived people.
Ahmad Rabay Alam, advocate, said it must be clearly ascertained that how fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution can be exercised by marginalised segments of society.
Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, a senior lawyer, said it is necessary to redefine justice to deal with current state of affairs.
He said judiciary can effectively put the things back in order and play a role of a catalyst to bring about positive changes in the society.
Muhammad Qasim adds: The discussions provided a great opportunity for the judiciary and legal community of Pakistan to share views and thoughts with the chief justices, judges and jurists of the world.
It would certainly help promote harmony and cooperation in various fields, especially between judiciaries of these countries, a spokesman of the Supreme Court told The News.
With the arrival of two more delegates Saturday (Aug 12), the total number of delegates reached 93, said the chief coordinator of the conference Mohammad Ali Gardezi.
Vast arrangements have been made to facilitate the visiting delegates.
Source: The News
Date:8/13/2006
” 
” 
” 
” 
