'Stop Insulting Judges': Chief Justice Bandial Takes Notice Of Senior Lawyer's Speech

'Stop Insulting Judges': Chief Justice Bandial Takes Notice Of Senior Lawyer's Speech
Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has called for an end to what he called 'personal attacks' against judges, following a speech by Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Hafeez-Ur-Rehman Chaudhry which the chief justice termed 'uncalled for and unfair.'

"My registrar has a 20-year-long academic career, stop abusing him," the chief justice remarked during a full-court reference summoned in honour of Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin's retirement on Friday.

"The statement of Pakistan Bar's vice chairman that judges are paid employees was uncalled for and unfair. Blaming judges is unfair and inappropriate," the chief justice said, asking for restraint from relevant parties in directly criticizing individual judges.

The chief justice said that some people were more concerned with making headlines than speaking to the bench directly.

On the eve of his oath-taking ceremony as chief justice in February, Justice Bandial criticized the press and social media for maligning individual judges, rather than responding to their court judgements. He said that the personal attacks on judges were ‘unprofessional and uncivilized,’ and requested assistance from the bar on the matter.

“The differences in judges’ opinions in matters of law arise from our individual perceptions and this diversity brings richness to our understanding,” Justice Bandial had said.