The role of judiciary is not that of an opposition to legislature but that of a custodian and bastion of the constitutional rights and liberties of the citizens, said Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chairman National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee here Friday.
Inaugurating a three-day National Judicial Conference 2010 in the Supreme Court building, he said that an independent judiciary set and declared the constitutional limits on the powers of state organs including executive, legislature and courts.
"It supervises a regime of rule of law and not the rule of men. In a democratic system, none of the three organs, i.e, the executive, legislature and judiciary is empowered to assumeexercise unbridled powers," he added.
He stressed that an independent judicial system was pre-requisite for a democratic society.
The independence of judiciary guarantees improved law and order standards, strengthened national security, better economic developments and social well being of the people, he added.
Chief Justice recounting aims of formulating National Judicial Policy said that it was devised to ensure adherence to the constitutional principles of quality before law and equal protection of law.
It also aimed at strengthening the role of judiciary as an independent organ of the executive and legislature, he added.
Chief Justice said, "In case of transgression by any organ into the domain of other, the judiciary is meant to remedy the situation. It has to prevent arbitrary or illegal exercise of authority."
Earlier, Dr Faqir Hussain, Registrar Supreme CourtSecretary Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan Dr. Faqir Hussain gave an overview of the aims and objectives of the Conference.
The Conference was attended by Judges of Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court, High Courts, district courts, lawyers’ bodies representatives and law officers.