Justice after 26 years is no justice: CJP

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Friday said he wanted to ensure such a judicial system in the country that dispensed speedy justice to all without discrimination adding that delivering justice to someone after 26 years was no justice at all. Hearing a constitutional petition seeking improvement in the justice system, the chief justice summoned the Federal Law and Justice Minister Barrister Farogh Naseem.

The chief justice said he had little time left adding that a combination of youth determination and seniors’ experience could bring about a revolution in the country. Justice Nisar cautioned against hasty legislation and constitutional amendments which created scores of problems in the past. He said hasty decisions only brought disasters to a country. He said deliberations must precede a legislation as it was a sensitive job.

Meanwhile, heading a three-member bench hearing a case concerning environmental pollution in Islamabad, the chief justice directed the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) to furnish, within five days, a detailed report with the apex court on the industrial units causing pollution in the capital city.

He asked the PAK-EPA Director General Farzana Altaf Shah about the steps taken so far to curb industrial pollution. The officer told the chief justice that no such had been taken in this regard, as the agency was not even allowed to conduct an inspection.

Commenting on her statement, the chief justice remarked, “Mill owners don’t know about the power of the SC." He said mill owners were playing with the lives of people by the pollution caused by their mills and factories. "We will take Rs5 million each from them as security," he remarked. Ms Shah told the chief justice that mill owners had made them from watchdogs to justdogs. To this, the chief justice said those who had not submitted security deposits will have to pay 8 per cent markup on security, which will be deposited into the dam fund.

The court then adjourned the hearing till September 24 and directed the authorities concerned to conduct an inspection and submit a report within next five days. Details have also been sought on the number of active industrial units and a count of factories and mills where measures were yet to be taken to curb pollution.

Meanwhile, hearing the suo moto case of Katas Raj pond at the Lahore Registry of Supreme Court, the chief justice directed the government to appointment the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman.

He was heading a three-member bench of the apex court. The court also directed all the industrial units, including the cement factories, to submit a report till September 18.

The chief justice asked the officials if the cement factories’ managements had made alternative arrangements for getting water. He further asked if the Punjab government had fixed rate for provision of water to the industrial units.

DG Environment Punjab told the court they were monitoring the factories, while the secretary Local Government Punjab informed the court that they had fixed the water rate for DG Khan and Bestway Cement.

The chief justice took a serious notice of sale of water by the mineral water companies during the case hearing. “Now water will not be sold free, it is as precious as gold,” the chief justice said, adding that he would hear the case related to mineral water companies on Saturday (today).

In this regard, he gave directions to the attorney general and provincial advocate generals to inquire how much water was being used by the companies. “They are extracting water and selling it, someone should tell whether these companies are paying for it or not?” he said. Justice Nisar also directed the mineral water companies’ owners in Karachi to come to Lahore. He also summoned a detailed report on dried up water spring in Katas Raj on Tuesday.