While addressing a full court reference in honour of Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi, who retired on attaining the age of superannuation, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry underscored on Monday certain basic rules of governance that could strengthen democracy and preclude the chances of any extra-constitutional takeover in future. Rule of law, transparency, merit and fairness – if these were to become the guidelines in the performance of our duties, there could be no doubt that the present state of widespread despondency in the country would, in no time, take a sharp turn, giving way to hope and optimism.
Chief Justice Chaudhry rightly pointed out that time had come for all of us to adopt these principles that would work to strengthen the various institutions of the state.A look at the state of affairs in the country would reveal that we, as a nation, have drifted away from these fundamental rules of organised life. The malady of bypassing them first began to afflict the ruling classes, but over time worsened, ultimately seeping into the entire fabric of social existence.With the government taking the lead in blatantly disregarding these values, the situation has become critical. Whether it is rule of law, transparency or merit, the conduct of official business has no relevance to it. Verdicts of the judiciary, which has earned the praise of the nation for taking bold – Nation
