ISLAMABAD: Outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday addressed a full court reference held in honour and said the Supreme Court gave several landmark decisions.
The reference held at the Supreme Court was addressed by retiring Justice Nisar, Chief Justice-designate Asif Saeed Khosa and the President of Supreme Court Bar.
Addressing the full court reference, Justice Nisar said, “The top court gave several landmark decisions, including that of Gilgit Baltistan.”
“We took notice of water scarcity in the country and the whole nation donated to resolve the issue,” he added. “Another issue that the court raised was that of the rapid increase in population,” the outgoing chief justice further said.
Sharing the achievements of the Supreme Court during his term, the chief justice said, “We worked for the rights of the oppressed and gave all citizens the right to lead their lives with respect.”
“We granted overseas Pakistanis the right to vote,” he continued. “We took notice of the high fee charged by private hospitals as well as the matter of granting National Identity Cards (NICs) to transgender persons.”
“The top court took notice of child domestic workers, including Tayyaba,” the outgoing chief justice said. “We tried to resolve issues of health, education and lifestyle as per the rights granted by the Constitution.”
“I tried to return the respect that people honoured me with,” Justice Nisar further stated.
“The work of judges is extremely difficult and corruption in judiciary is equivalent to the murder of justice,” he further said.
Justice Nisar concluded, “I worked within the code of ethics of judges. For me, serving the country was an honour.”
Justice Nisar, 65, served as the 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Appointed to the office on December 31, 2016, Justice Nisar 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 tomorrow.
