Limits of suo motu powers on May 26, 2018Judicial activism is on the rise in Pakistan. Increasingly, the Supreme Court (SC) has used its suo motu powers to enforce an exceptionally broad understanding of “fundamental rights”in areas that might ordinarily be seen as the purview of government policy. This has produced significant tension between the judiciary and the executive. In this context, the […]
International law has yet to be applied in Myanmar on September 28, 2017 The treatment of Muslims in Myanmar is a flagrant violation of international law. The UN high commissioner for human rights has described the ongoing atrocities in Myanmar as a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing.’ Myanmar has ratified various international conventions on international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. But now […]
Ailing justice system on September 20, 2017The ugly scenes played out at the premises of our courts are only a symptom of an ailing justice system. The way the matter of alleged contempt of court by the President of the Multan bench was handled shows that there is a gap of institutional communication or trust between the bench and the bar. […]
Celebrating justice on October 24, 2016The Lahore High Court is conducting its 150th anniversary in November. The event comprises of symposia on implementation of law, photography and essay-writing contests themed on the rule of law, and a display of old pictures of the Lahore High Court building. Students, artists and writers from all over the province will be invited to […]
An intellectual crisis on January 17, 2016Pakistan suffers from an intellectual crisis. Occasional exceptions notwithstanding, mediocrity holds the field. One reason for such a crisis is that only a few are holding the reigns while keeping the less privileged out of the learning and decision-making process. Our intellectual spaces are exclusionary and discriminatory. The potential of our youth remains untapped owing […]