judiciary

Battle for independent judiciary to decide Pakistan's destiny: Tehreek-e-Insaf Toronto
The Chief Organizer PTI Toronto Mr. Salman Shuaib has noted that the current battle for independence of judiciary will decide Pakistan's fate - whether it is to become a great muslim nation or wither away as a banana republic. Pakistan is facing multiple threats internally because of a weak judiciary. These threats are now starting to grow out of control, and if fair representation to all peoples of Pakistan is not given - by an independent election commission - Pakistan risks disintegration. Elaborating, Mr. Shuaib said that the Baloch insurgency, the expanding Talibanization in the north, bomb blasts in the capital, daylight thefts in Karachi are all crises related directly to absence of an independent judicial system. Had Pakistan possessed an independent judiciary, the Baloch would have received their due share of gas royalties, military operations and disappearances would not have occurred which are fueling the insurgency. The absence of an independent judiciary allows the Federal government to abuse provincial rights guaranteed in the Constitution - thus creating a sense of dispossession amongst the Baloch in their own land. The Talibanization of the north has also taken place due to the high-handed military operations under orders of a single General, attacks against own people would not be possible if an independent judiciary and fairly elected parliament were there to hold the generals to account. Mr. Shuaib noted that since all humans are fallible, therefore it is important to hold every citizen of the state accountable before the law - especially the executive. Whenever one man presents himself as the saviour of a nation but operates above the law - destroying institutions - he can only do damage to a country. In the entire chronicle of history no example can be found of a nation whose common citizens lived happily in the absence of an independent judicial system. If Caliphs of Islam considered themselves accountable to the Qazi, then who is General Musharraf to rule the country unchecked? The Chief Justice of Pakistan should be restored forthwith, but incase he is removed then it will make Musharraf's life even harder. Mr. Shuaib said that one of the critical factors in deciding this "war for an independent judiciary", as President SCBA has called it, will be how far and how hard common Pakistanis will act to defend justice and save their country and themselves. People should join the lawyers in the streets, those that have money should aid the lawyers in their struggle as the government has cut off funds, those that can write should write for the sake of justice, and the creative ones should use their skills to infuse the popular Pakistani consciousness with the importance of an independent judicial system. Every Pakistani who desires better for his country must do what he can in these decisive moments in the history of Pakistan.