Supreme Court Holds Full Court Reference On Eve Of 25th Chief Justice Of Pakistan's Retirement

Supreme Court holds full court reference on eve of 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan's retirement

A full court reference was held in the honour of 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar's retirement at the Supreme Court on Thursday

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jan, 2019 ) :A full court reference was held in the honour of 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar's retirement at the Supreme Court on Thursday.

The reference was addressed by the outgoing Chief Justice Nisar, Chief Justice-designate Asif Saeed Khosa and the President of Supreme Court Bar Association.

The ceremony held here, was being attended by all Supreme Court judges with the exception of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah as well as Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor, Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Kamran Murtaza, retired senior judges as well as senior journalists, among others. Justice Nisar's family was also in attendance.

Addressing the full court reference, Justice Nisar said, "Top court gave several landmark decisions, including that of Gilgit Baltistan." The judgment relating to Gilgit-Baltistan announced earlier this morning directing the Federal Government to promulgate the Proposed Order as annexed to the judgment, establishing judicial, legislative and executive organs in Gilgit-Baltistan guaranteeing its people the fundamental rights provided in the Constitution of Pakistan pursuant to the Al-Jehad Trust case.

He said this court took action to ensure water security in Pakistan which was projected to reach life-threatening levels of shortage in the future.

"The rights of our minorities are no longer merely highlights of speeches, Christian marriages are to be issued marriage certificates by NADRA the way Muslim marriages are, and the Katas Raj Temple has been restored, he added.

NADRA was directed to issue National Identity Cards to transgenders in a broader attempt to reduce, if not remove entirely, the stigma attached thereto, Justice Nisar said adding that the judiciary also took notice of healthcare related issues in Pakistan.

He said, "I worked within the code of conduct for judges and it has been my honour to have served the nation." Justice Nisar concluded by saying, "I have earned more contentment, satisfaction, prayers and respect than I ever expected".

Addressing the reference, Chief Justice-designate, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the outgoing chief justice had faced many constitutional, societal and political challenges during his tenure and headed the judiciary in "very difficult circumstances".

Justice Nisar's services for humanitarian causes will be remembered, he added.

Justice Khosa said that during his tenure as CJP, he would ensure quick dispensation of justice and would build a dam against fake cases, against pending cases, as currently there were 1.

9 million pending cases in courts.

"I want to build a dam against false witnesses as well," he said, adding, "The power to take suo motu notices will be used sparingly." "I also want to pay off the country's loans and I will pay off the loans of cases that have been pending for year." Justice Khosa concluded.

It may be added that Justice Nisar was appointed to the office on December 31, 2016.

He presided over some of Pakistan's highest-profile civil and constitutional cases, including the disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the release of Asia Bibi, a poor Christian woman on death row.

Justice Nisar's verdicts have had an enduring impact on the country's political milieu as well as its public and private sectors.

Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, who is the senior most judge of the Supreme Court, will take charge as the chief justice on January 18. President Arif Alvi will administer the oath to Justice Khosa at a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday.

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was born on January 18, 1954 in Lahore. He did his matriculation from Cathedral High school, Lahore and graduation from Government College, Lahore.

He completed his Bachelor of Law from the University of Punjab in 1979-80, after which he joined the legal profession as an advocate.

Justice Nisar was enrolled as an advocate of the High Courts in 1982 and an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1994. Subsequently, he was elevated as a judge of the Lahore High Court in 1998 and the Supreme Court in 2010. He took oath as the Chief Justice of Pakistan on December 31, 2016.

He was elected as Secretary General of the Lahore High Court Bar Association in 1991.

In 1997, he was appointed as Federal Law Secretary � the first time in the country's history that a member of the Bar was appointed to the post.

Justice Nisar was a member of the delegation representing Pakistan in the International Youth Conference held in Libya, Tripoli in 1973.

He represented Pakistan in the International Conference on Pakistan and India held at Wilton Park, United Kingdom and led the Pakistani delegation at a minister level conference on Asia Region Transitional Crimes held in Manila, Philippines, and the Pakistani delegation on Human Rights to Switzerland.

He also remained a part-time lecturer at Punjab Law College and Pakistan College of Law,where he taught civil procedure and constitutional law.