Daily Times

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar on Saturday said that those talking about a judicial martial law should take the idea out of their heads.

“I see TV anchors speaking about a judicial martial law. I ask them, who is going to impose it? This is Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s country and it will only be governed via democracy,” CJP said while speaking to a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Iqbal in Lahore.

Justice Nisar added that “the day a judicial martial law is imposed, me and my 17 judges of the Supreme Court would not be there.”

He continued that “those who want a judicial martial law must take the idea out of their heads” and that the judiciary would not take an unconstitutional step. “There is no place for a judicial coup in the constitution. We will continue to fight for the public’s rights,” CJP added.

Referring to the Punjab University’s allotment of campus land to the government, the CJP said that the Supreme Court’s priority is education.

“80 kanal land of PU was given to the government, why was land from an educational institute handed over to the government? There would be no compromise on matters pertaining to education,” Justice Nisar stated.

Read more: Supreme Court suspends Punjab University’s Vice-Chancellor

The chief justice also criticised the ruling government for its ‘inefficiency’. “It is the government’s duty to provide basic rights to the public. Politicians complain about a lack of respect for the vote, but do they respect it? Do they provide the voters with their rights? They should work for the welfare of the nation,” he continued.