Daily Times

The Honorable Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan,

I am taking the liberty to write to you as a citizen of Pakistan, above and beyond any political affiliation that I may have. I seek your attention as you are the esteemed highest judicial officer of Pakistan, who is duty bound and under oath to tackle injustices and to provide relief to all subjects of the state in accordance to the laws of the land.

Pardon me, but not being a lawyer, or associated with the fraternity, with my information coming from public space such as media. I apologize for being untrained in language used by lawyers, but allow me as a common man to draw your attention in utmost respect that I am of the considered opinion that the honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan seem to me as complacent. It wasn’t too long ago when the Honorable Supreme Court took Suomotu actions on issues that it felt needed intervention and notice for the best interest of the country and its people; metaphorically, from the price of a samosa to massive corruption scandals all the way to the underhand sale of the Pakistan Steel Mill and so on, the list of judicial activism is a long one- and one appreciated by the man on the street.

I must appreciate that it was also the Honorable Supreme Court that took Suomotu notice on Karachi law and order situation in 2011, hearings of which continue to this today. In the same case, the Supreme Court had observed that there were militant wings that were operational in most of the political parties, including the largest party of Karachi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

Given the paucity of time and pressing matters that require your attention, I would urge a few minutes of your time in the best interest of our nation. I am most confident that you will allow me please to place the following questions before your esteemed office and the Institution of the Honorable Supreme Court in my personal capacity:

While MQM’s founder and leader Alta fHussain& other MQM party leaders continued their militancy and anti-state statements, the SCP chose to stay silent and abstained from inquiring? May I ask, why no suomotu was taken?

The LEA’s, law enforcement agencies especially Sindh Rangers have done a tremendous job in bringing the crime rate down drastically. It is however a sad reality that time and again the lower courts have released most of the arrested criminals. May I ask, if I should think that our lower courts are incompetent to act and prosecute criminals?

The killing of innocent citizens using state machinery was televised live from Model Town Lahore. It has been more than 2 years since that sad incident- known to Pakistan and the world as the ‘Model Town Incident’- commission report of Honorable Justice Baqir too has not been shared nor any action taken to expedite it to provide justice to the families of 17 victims. May I ask, why no suomotu was taken?

In my understanding and again accessing the information available in public domain, Panama Papers have truly and clearly exposed Nawaz Sharif and his family’s corruption, especially when every family member has given contradictory statements to the media. May I ask, why no suomotu was taken?

How can the Honorable Supreme Court ignore what is happening and remain silent when the country is yearning for justice? I ask, most humbly, as to what in your learned opinion, should the citizens of this country do, when the highest court in the country choses to stay silent?

Time has come for all state institutions to play their role in making Pakistan a functional, secure and stable country where its governance is known by ‘Rule of Law’ and not ‘Rule by Law’. Justice system needs to work effectively or else Pakistan will soon become a state run by mafias in contradiction to the spirit and promise of the constitution of Pakistan.

The annals of history teach us that it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; and the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most- that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

Honorable Chief Justice, I urge you to please give me the promised country, a Pakistan where we can raise our children with the same values that we were taught growing up by our parents where, ‘CRIME DOES NOT PAY’.

Today in Pakistan, it’s almost the opposite.

Thank you
Ali Haider Zaidi
A concerned citizen of Pakistan