Desperate plea

A female judge from Punjab, Dr Sajida Ahmad, has written a moving letter to the chief justice of the Lahore High Court and to the chief justice of Pakistan, asking if lawyers and other persons usually present in a courtroom should be allowed to humiliate, harass, and mock female judges. Judge Dr Sajida has said that this is a frequent occurrence, and that she had even contemplated suicide before the Supreme Court Pakistan had this not been against the tenants of Islam. The judge has also said that the judicial profession has sunk to new depths and now it is extremely difficult for female judges to retain dignity in the courts. It has become virtually impossible to maintain the dignity of the court in a situation where lawyers feel free to mock judges. It is true that as a female member of the judiciary, the complaining judge deserves utmost respect. This is certainly not why our judges study and train – only to be harassed by those in the same legal fraternity. Judge Dr Sajida has also asked what the point of her education is if this is what it comes down to.

This is an important issue. If more women are to be encouraged to come into the judiciary, the environment for them must be made acceptable and friendly. We have recently seen increased hooliganism from lawyers and members who form a part of the judicial circle. As Judge Dr Sajida has pointed out, the attack by lawyers on the Pakistan Institute of Cardiology in Lahore is just one example of this. It is obvious that something needs to be done to restore the dignity and honour of the judicial profession. It should not be so traumatic for a female judge to preside over court. Indeed, the presence of women in the judiciary is important, given that they may often be more able to adopt a sensitive attitude in certain cases, and are as qualified as their male counterparts.

Discrimination on the basis of gender is unacceptable. Such complaints come under the ambit of violation of the law against the harassment of women in the workplace. This law was put on the books in 2010 but has still to be properly implemented in the country. We hope that the concerned senior judges and also other members of the judiciary as well as the bar councils of Pakistan will take Judge Dr Sajida's letter seriously. The judiciary should be made a place where everyone can feel safe and where everyone's respect is honoured as per the code of conduct expected of the legal fraternity, a code that does not allow base hooliganism.