ATTOCK - Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan said that provision of speedy justice was the top most priority of the judiciary.

He stated this while addressing the District Judicial Conference organised at the District Judicial Complex Attock on the upholding of the rule of law in connection with 150th anniversary celebrations of the LHC.

He added that the high court and the sub-ordinate courts judges were striving for it.

The chief justice said, "It is our constitutional duty to decide the cases without any pressure."

He said that the purpose of celebrating 150th anniversary was to make the masses realise that an active judiciary was available for protection of their fundamental rights.

Khan advised the young lawyers to attain maturity of law and earn credibility for setting true example of a classic lawyer.

He said that the judiciary had played a vital role in maintaining the rule of law and close coordination among all the stakeholders was vital for dispensation of speedy justice. 

The judge was of the view that peace, progress and prosperity in the country were only possible with the provision of justice.  He said that justice safeguarded a society from unrest.  The judge said it was the prime duty of the judges to provide justice to the masses and urged the judges to dispense justice without any fear.

He said that besides being a milestone, the main purpose of holding celebrations was to reach out to the common man.

Khan lauded the role of the bars for their continuous struggle for the supremacy of law, and called them integral part of the judicial system.

He said that all the events which would take place during the celebrations would enable a common man to understand the past, present and future of the judiciary in Punjab.

Khan said the journey of 150th anniversary was not only the journey by high court judges but also of the district judges as well as all the bar associations.

District and Sessions Judge Sohail Nasir, while speaking on this occasion said that on the direction of the LHC Chief Justice, Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, ceremonies were being held across the province in connection with the 150th anniversary of the LHC and all stakeholders were participating in them in Rawalpindi.  He said that the courts system was being upgraded along modern lines with the help of an IT system for speedy dispensation of justice.

Khan said all cases filed in Rawalpindi till 2013 had been decided and the backlog will end soon.  Former District and Sessions Judge Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Arshad Mehmood Cheema and civil judge Kiran Jehangir also spoke on the occasion.