Emphasizing the role of subordinate courts in bring social change, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah Saturday said district and sessions court judges are important leaders of the judicial system because district judiciary is an important tier of the justice system. Addressing a ceremony organised to distribute certificates among 25 heads of district judiciary who participated in a six-day training course on ‘Leadership and Management’ at the Federal Judicial Academy, Justice Minallah said leadership and management training is vital for promoting and ensuring rule of law in the country. “It is essential to be an effective leader so as to make an impact within your organization,” he said, adding that a single good leader can create an endless chain of social changes. Justice Minallah maintained that important leadership qualities of good leaders include honesty, integrity, inspiring others, effective communication and decision-making capabilities. “For all type of leaders, whether they belong to politics, judiciary, sports or any other discipline, attributes of good leadership are the same,” he added. Emphasizing the importance of honesty, he said it has the trickle-down effect. District and sessions judges as leaders must put in practice their leadership attributes to reform the district judiciary and ameliorate the plight of the litigant public who are the key stakeholders of the administration of justice, he added. Lamenting the growing trend of nepotism in society, he said, “The menace of nepotism has become a way of life in our society. As leaders, district and sessions court judges must play the desired role to combat nepotism which has permeated into the very fabric of society.” The training course was carried out through syndicate discussions, command tasks and presentations. As many as 25 heads of district judiciary from all over Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir participated in the activity. Published in Daily Times, January 13th 2019.