Outgoing Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial expresses his hope for political stability leading to economic stability, lamenting that his innocent remarks, such as "short and sweet judgment" and "good to see you," were sometimes misrepresented.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Sept 12nd, 2023) Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial addressed a Full Court Reference on Monday, highlighting the challenges faced by the Supreme Court in dealing with numerous constitutional cases in February this year.
The CJP expressed his hope for political stability leading to economic stability, lamenting that his innocent remarks, such as "short and sweet judgment" and "good to see you," were sometimes misrepresented.
Justice Bandial emphasized the importance of accurate media reporting and noted that in the previous year, the Supreme Court had successfully disposed of a record 23,000 cases, reducing the backlog by 2,000 cases.
He acknowledged that the court itself faced challenges in a difficult environment, alluding to incidents related to the Audio Leaks case without delving into specifics.
Expressing grave concern over the country's economic situation and political instability, he stressed the need for political stability to pave the way for progress in other sectors.
Chief Justice Bandial commended his successor, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and mentioned his great respect for him. During the speech, Justice Isa was observed writing something on a piece of paper.
Fifteen judges of the Supreme Court attended the ceremony, with Justice Yahya Afridi being the only exception as he was abroad.
Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial is set to retire on September 16 due to reaching the age of superannuation, and Justice Qazi Faez Isa will take over as his successor on September 17.
