ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday asked the lawyers, whose cases are fixed before the court, to come prepared in the court and avoid seeking adjournments, as the court has to reduce burgeoning pendency of the cases.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial took oath as CJP here at the President House on Wednesday morning and later reached the Courtroom Non. 1 of the Supreme Court, to hear the routine cases. It may be mentioned here that the CJP always sits in Courtroom No. 1, which also called as Bench-1, of the Supreme Court, where he hears cases along with other members of the Bench.
When Justice Umar Ata Bandial entered in Bench-1 of the apex court after being sworn-in as the CJP, the lawyers present in the bench, congratulated him on assuming the office of the top adjudicator of the country. “We welcome you in the courtroom as the Chief Justice of Pakistan”, the lawyers said. The CJP thanked the lawyers, saying that the association of lawyers like you was a sign of happiness for him.
The chief justice, however, asked the lawyers to always come in the court prepared to argue their cases and avoid adjournments, as the court is facing a huge backlog of pending cases, which has to be reduced. “I will now wait for retirement of your lordship, so that I may meet you again,” senior lawyer and noted television personality Naeem Bukhari made a light humor while addressing the chief justice on the occasion.
The chief justice laughed loudly at the humor of Naeem Bukhari, which was apparently a humor, however it was hiding a long story that how people enjoying high-profile offices avoid meeting/listening to the stakeholders as well as common people while holding public offices.