ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's top judge on Saturday rejected the notion that the country's judiciary was facing external pressure while addressing a conference in Lahore where he maintained that Pakistani courts were free to provide justice to people.
Addressing a session on the role of judiciary in protecting human rights and strengthening democracy during the Asma Jahangir Conference, Chief Justice Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed said all judges in the country were working diligently and putting in extra hours to fulfil their responsibilities.
He focused his short but fiery speech to respond to criticism leveled by a senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd who questioned the performance of the judiciary while adding there were "visible divisions" among senior judges.
"No one has ever interfered with my work," said the chief justice while addressing the public event. "I always took decisions according to my own conscience, wisdom and legal and constitutional understanding. I never took dictation from anyone, and I believe this is also how my other judges are."
He criticized Kurd for his "general statement" that Pakistan's "judiciary was not free," adding that no one had the courage to influence his decisions.
"Don't create confusion among people," he continued. "Don't mislead them, create anxiety or make people lose their faith in state institutions."
The chief justice said the country's judiciary would continue to uphold democracy and not endorse an undemocratic setup.
He delivered his speech only a few days after a news report claimed that a former judge of Gilgit-Baltistan had accused a retired chief justice of Pakistan of trying to manipulate the political process in the country.
A high court took notice of the media report, issuing show-cause notices to the journalist who wrote the article and the judge who made the allegation.