ISLAMABAD: The new judicial year 2017-18 commenced on September 11 with challenges to the Supreme Court involving accountability of judiciary right from the superior court judges to the judicial officers as well as burgeoning backlog of cases. The opening ceremony to mark the beginning of new judicial year will be held in the courtroom No 1 of the SC with the end of the summer vacation. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Ahsan Bhoon and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Rasheed A Rizvi will speak at the ceremony. The event is held every year to determine ways to tackle the challenges faced by the Supreme Court. Almost every year, when the new judicial year commences and a ceremony is held to mark its commencement, the CJP expresses resolve to dedicate the period to self-accountability by reactivating the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) – a constitutional body that holds judges accountable. Accountability should be across the board and every citizen should be held accountable. Amid the growing incidents of tension between the bar and bench, lawyers and retired judges demanded that bar councils revive their disciplinary committees for accountability of delinquent lawyers. After Nawaz Sharif’s ouster from the prime minister’s office, the Pakistan Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar Association and other bars, are also demanding the judiciary to initiate and accelerate the process of self-accountability. The judges of the superior courts have also observed several times during the hearing of various cases that ‘no judge of a superior court in Pakistan had ever been prosecuted in a criminal court’. Former CJP Anwar Zaheer Jamali, as chairman of the SJC, had shortlisted a few cases of misconduct against judges and also issued show-cause notices, but no trials could be started. According to sources, the SJC is presently considering the cases of misconduct against four judges, two each from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Lahore High Court (LHC). It is also hearing a complaint against a LHC judge whose name surfaced in the Panama Papers leaks. Another LHC judge has already tendered his resignation to avoid the possible proceedings of misconduct being initiated against him. According to sources, 34 references against judges – both serving and retired – have been shortlisted for hearings. Sources also revealed that the SJC will take up a complaint of misconduct against a Lahore High Court (LHC) judge on September 14 and notices have already been issued to the concerned in this regard. Published in Daily Times, September 5th 2017.