To all Hon'ble Judges of the Pakistan Supreme Court and High Court Judges of Pakistan
From a brother former Judge of the Indian Supreme Court
Dear Brothers and Sisters
The occasion to send this email to you all arose when I was deeply distressed at seeing the youtube video below :
It appears that thousands of innocent people, including women and children, are languishing in jail for the last one year or so, mostly on trumped up and concocted charges in horrible conditions after the events of 9th May 2023 ( which many say were stage-managed).
Brothers and Sisters, you have all taken a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution of Pakistan. That Constitution includes Articles 8 to 28, the Fundamental Rights of the people of Pakistan, e.g. the right to life and liberty, freedom of speech ( which includes freedom of the media ), etc. Hence it was your solemn duty to protect the civil liberties and rights of the people of Pakistan.
But put your hands on your hearts and ask yourselves whether you have been doing your duty of protecting the liberties of the; people of Pakistan, or have turned a Nelson's eye to it, overlooking the solemn oath you took? It seems to me that all you care for is your fat salaries, perks, and pensions, and care two hoots for the liberties of the people of Pakistan.
Do you all have no shame? You claim to be Muslim. What reply will you give to Allah when He asks you on Roz-e-Mehshar ( Judgment Day ) why you did not do your duty? You cannot say that you did not do your duty for fear of the gun of the Pakistan army. Qazi Sirajuddin, Qazi-e-Subah of Bengal in 1490, who was faced with the same predicament vis-a-vis the Sultan of Bengal, nevertheless did his duty of doing justice to a poor widow, as disclosed below :
Fear of Allah prevailed in him over fear of the Sultan's sword. But you all seem to regard the Pakistan army as your Allah.
I wonder what punishment is in store for you all on Roz-e-Mehshar?
Justice Markandey Katju
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court. These are his personal views.)
