Journalists hammer outgoing chief justice

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 17 January 2019

As Chief Justice Saqib Nisar retires, journalists and columnists express their discontent with his judicial activism. Critiques highlight the negative impact he had on Pakistan's political and legal environment.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - As Chief Justice Saqib Nisar doffed his robe, journalists opposed to his judicial activism have taken out their tweets against the outgoing top judge.

Columnist Gul Bukhari thinks the outgoing chief justice has broken constitution and therefore needs to face a case under Article 6 of the constitution.

She was commenting on a news item in which Saqib Nisar sought forgiveness if his words had hurt anybody.

In another harsh Urdu tweet, Bukhari, who supports the jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, called Nisar a “fraudster, liar, and a conspirator.”

Matiullah Jan, who like Bukhari opposed the CJ, said in a tweet in Urdu that a political chapter which started with Chaudhry Nisar, the former interior minister, closed down with the retirement of Saqib Nisar, hinting that both played a role in bringing down the rule of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.

The damage CJP Saqib Nisar inflicted by abusing his authority & creating political/economic/legal uncertainty will haunt us for a long time. The damage caused by Iftikhar Ch to public faith in judicial probity pales in comparison. The most polite thing to say today: good riddance

— Babar Sattar (@Babar_Sattar) January 17, 2019

Babar Sattar, a lawyer, and a columnist termed the retirement as “good riddance.” He tweeted: “The damage CJP Saqib Nisar inflicted by abusing his authority & creating political/economic/legal uncertainty will haunt us for a long time. The damage caused by Iftikhar Ch to public faith in judicial probity pales in comparison. The most polite thing to say today: good riddance”.

Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui said Saqib Nisar was more interested in other matters than dispensing justice. “Main Saqib once observed publicly that he is left with only two ambitions in life, i.e. to build Dams and retire debt. I would also like to build some dams, a dam against undue and unnecessary delays in judicial determination of cases, a dam against frivolous cases.”

#GoodRiddanceSaqibNisar is the sentiment of the day.#خس_کم_جہاں_پاک

— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) January 17, 2019

Murtaza Solangi, former head of Radio Pakistan tweeted: “#GoodRiddanceSaqibNisar is the sentiment of the day.”

KEY POINTS:

• Journalists opposed Nisar's judicial activism on social media.
• Gul Bukhari calls for constitutional accountability under Article 6.
• Critics argue Nisar created political and legal uncertainty.
• Babar Sattar describes Nisar's retirement as 'good riddance.'
• Murtaza Solangi reflects widespread sentiment against Nisar's tenure.