Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, while addressing the 4th National Judicial Conference in Islamabad, ended the confusion about the watchdog role of the judiciary by stating that the job of keeping it under check against any transgression is a right that is granted to it by the Constitution. The charge of judicial activism levelled against the superior judiciary by those at the helm, therefore, stands effectively rebutted. Indeed, the executive is guilty of disobeying its orders. The CJ got it right that it is the SCs constitutional duty to regulate the working of the state machinery. It is pretty obvious that an independent and free judiciary constitutes a most important element of a democratic polity and, as stated by the CJ, it can also supplement other organs of the state. Any country where executive is acting in an unbridled manner without fear of scrutiny by the judiciary will be devoid of rule of law and will not be able to ensure citizens fundamental rights. It is a source of not only relief but also pride for common Pakistanis to see their judiciary making decisions in an impartial manner, a performance that can by gauged by the increase in the number of litigants. But the CJ rightly stated that still the structural problems faced by the judiciary like shortage of courtrooms, researchers and legal staff, court automation equipment, libraries, etc., were causing delay in the dispensation of justice, which may even dissuade the public from approaching the courts. This is a genuine problem manifested in delay in settlement of cases which on an average ranges from four years to a maximum of 20 years. However, it is comforting to note that the CJ has the courage to admit that this problem exists and needs to be rectified. It is hoped that the superior judiciary would itself be in the vanguard to reform the criminal justice system especially at the level of subordinate courts.