Justice Salahuddin Panhwar | Pakistan

UMERKOT: Justice Salahuddin Panhwar of Supreme Court has expressed his deep regrets over shortcomings of the country’s judicial system and institutions, and also criticised dishonest judges, lawyers and police officers responsible for the delay and denial of justice to the public. He was speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the Umerkot Bar Association here on Friday. Describing the saying: “Justice delayed is justice denied” as absolutely correct, he declared that a court failing to deliver justice serves no purpose. Mentioning the cases where justice was delayed for decades, he gave a couple of examples: “One woman waited for 71 years for a decision on her inheritance case and another person’s case relating to an accident was decided after 24 years”. He condemned use of influence by feudals and bureaucrats and observed that some judges were compromising their integrity to appease the powerful. Justice Panhwar said judges must act with courage, and not fear, and warned them that betraying the oath undermin...