ISLAMABAD:
Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah on Saturday stated that judges must possess both individual and institutional independence. He stressed that the independence of the judiciary cannot truly materialize without judges who are independent-minded.
Justice Minallah expressed these views while addressing a certificate-awarding ceremony at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA) in Islamabad.
The event was organized at the conclusion of a two-week Federal Judicial Education Programme (FJEP).
Justice Minallah urged the judges to acquaint themselves with and adhere to the Code of Conduct by Imam Abu Hanifa (RA) as a guide for their conduct. “If the said code of conduct is observed by our judges, it can revolutionise our judiciary”.
He stressed the importance of independent judges, emphasising the necessity to foster and support judges with an independent mindset to uphold judicial independence.
“A judge should be independent. A judge should always be conscious of the fact that he/she is not subordinate to anyone. A judge should always follow the law and not be influenced by anyone. Only an independent-minded judge can ensure the right to a fair trial and only an independent judiciary can enjoy confidence and trust of the public,” Justice Minallah said.
“We must train them in such a manner as they become independent–minded judges. Judges must be individually and institutionally independent. Without independent-minded judges, the independence of the judiciary cannot be a reality,” he added.
Lauding the content of the training course, Justice Minallah noted, “For me, the most impressive part of the training is a wise selection of subjects such as crypto-currency, artificial intelligence, among others, which are the need of the hour”.
Credit goes to Supreme Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Adviser at FJA, and his team for their efforts. The academy has now gained international recognition.
In the concluding moments, Justice Minallah awarded certificates to the trainees, including 30 additional district and session judges and 30 senior civil judges. He congratulated them and voiced confidence in their ability to deliver services effectively.
Earlier, FJA Director General Hayat Ali Shah highlighted that despite resource constraints, the visionary leadership of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and the steadfast commitment of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had enabled the Academy to achieve several goals within a short span of time. He maintained that they were now working diligently to accomplish other objectives outlined in the roadmap, in line with the academy’s mission and vision.
