In a shocking development, Pakistan’s military led President, Parvez Musharraf sacked the Islamic nation’s chief justice for ‘misuse of authority’. This essentially calls into question each and every statement made by the so called revolutionary and modernistic leader about Pakistan being a ‘moderate’ democratic country. Well, if it is so, then how come the President has arbitrary power over removing the highest level judicial officials at will? I mean, whatever happened to the concept of balance of power and a proper division of power between the different insitutions of the government. Isn’t that what would normally serve as a proper democratic set up. I agree there are many nations who struggle with the concept and it is hard to achieve the desired separation of powers, however, Musharraf does not even seem to be pretending to try to follow it.
Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, chief judge of the supreme court had served in the post since 2005. The various reasons being given for the move are misuse of his influence to secure official employment for his son and recent court rulings that had challenged the government’s authority. Even though most in the judiciary have expressed surprise over the move, the president has gone ahead and submitted a case against Chaudhry to the Supreme Judicial Council. The government claims that the President had received “numerous complaints and serious allegations for misconduct, misuse of authority and actions prejudicial to the dignity of office of the chief justice of Pakistan,” and that the judge is unable to defend his position.
Whatever be the outcome of this scenario, it is certain that Pakistan’s political and judicial set up must be more clearly divided, with the duties and powers given to both be more clearly defined.
Via: The Times of India
