islamabad - Advocating reforms in the administration of justice system, Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan has said that criminal justice reform is extremely urgent to save human lives and the society.
He expressed these views in a certificate-awarding ceremony at the conclusion of a one-week training course on ‘Case and Court Management and New Laws’ for civil judges-cum-judicial magistrates from all over Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, at the Federal Judicial Academy, Islamabad, yesterday.
He said, “Our justice system is incredibly expensive. Our judicial process is tedious. Our governance is shoddy and our administration is ineffective. We all must revaluate the entire system and reform it. This society needs humane, fair and effective justice system, both civil and criminal.”
“If a person rots in prison unjustly, our system has failed. If one thousand people rot in prison unjustly, our society has failed. We must have to reflect and get rid of those drawbacks and pitfalls inherited in colonial legacy of justice system.”
Advising the young judicial officers, he said, “You have to be role models, both in your personal and professional life, for others. Every day you must have access to better and update your knowledge and information about the existing and developing national and international laws, emerging trends and skills in the administration of justice system.”
In order to sensitise the young judicial officers about learning and professional excellence, the honourable judge also quoted the thought–provoking words of two leading international figures namely (late) Nelson Mandela and (late) AK Brohi which read as, ”Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world and never consider yourself as Perfect jurist at any stage in life. If you thought so then your curiosity to learn more will die. Always consider yourself a humble disciple of law to learn more.”
The welcoming address and an overview of the training course was presented by Director General Federal Judicial Academy Fakhar Hayat, in which he said that this weeklong training would have provided a lot of knowledge, information and insight about different subjects and topics discussed in it.
Twenty-six civil judges from all over Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan completed this weeklong training and received certificates in the ceremony at the Academy.