Karachi, March 29, 2024: The Public Interest Law Association of Pakistan (PILAP) expresses concern regarding the recently released letter written by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
The separation of powers and the independence of judiciary are the cornerstones of any democracy. PILAP focuses on litigation depending heavily on fair judicial review of public and government actions, all the while ensuring accountability of public and private sectors alike. It enables the voice of concerned citizens to be heard through legal remedies, as prescribed by the law of the land. To ensure just remedies for the public at large, it is essential that the people responsible for the dispensation of justice themselves are free of coercion and bias.
In the past, PILAP has been able to achieve its objective of protecting fundamental rights by appearing before the courts across Pakistan. In many cases, high courts are the court of first instance and PILAP has, time and again, observed and experienced that these high courts have ensured that justice is upheld. On the back of the remarkable judgments by these learned judges, PILAP and other similar organizations have been able to further the agenda of public discourse and promotion of fundamental rights and civil liberties.
To this end, PILAP, along with all its concerned members, hopes that the spirit of justice will reign supreme. Any attempt to compromise the independence of the judiciary undermines the rule of law and diminishes people’s faith in the legal system. PILAP calls for a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter by the Supreme Judicial Council, specifically the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
PILAP believes in the institutional integrity of the Judiciary and hopes that it will play its due role in ensuring justice for all citizens and maintaining the rule of law in Pakistan.
About PILAP: The Public Interest Law Association of Pakistan (PILAP) is a public interest association concerned with the primary objective of enabling the citizens of Pakistan to attain the realization of their civil, human, economic, social and political rights, as guaranteed by the Fundamental Rights laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan. PILAP addresses matters of public interest by means of research, advocacy and by seeking redress for the people of Pakistan through the justice system.