Pakistan’s firebrand and controversial Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry Wednesday retired from service.

Islamabad, Dec 11: Pakistan’s firebrand and controversial Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary Wednesday retired from service, much to the respite of country’s elected government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

A meeting of the full court was held in honour of the 65-year-old Chief Justice, who retired after serving in the post for over six years. He was the longest serving chief justice of Pakistan. He was appointed in June 2005 but remained dysfunctional from November 2007 to March 2009.

‘SC would continue to work for human rights’

While addressing the full court, Chaudhary expressed hope that under the new Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, the Supreme Court would continue to work for human rights.

“May the judiciary of the coming years seek to further expand the scope of and enforce the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution and dispense justice freely, fairly and expeditiously to litigations,” he said.

Thanked judges for playing role in dispensation of justice

Chaudhary thanked all judges for playing a role in dispensation of justice. “After 2007, all judges, lawyers, students and political workers played their role in the struggle for an independent judiciary,” he said.

“I cannot find words to praise the courage shown by my brother judges, who were deposed following the actions of 03 November, 2007,” he said while referring to imposition of emergency by country’s then military ruler General (retd) Parvez Musharraf.

Chaudhary credited with making judiciary strong

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary was credited with making country’s judiciary a strong pillar and he was feared by politicians and bureaucrats.

Stating that democracy is not possible without independent and transparent elections, Chaudhary said judiciary worked for democracy and supreme court played its role in holding local bodies elections.

“It was not possible for anyone now to lie about their educational degrees and assets,” he said and thanked his family for continued support.

Chaudhary’s retirement has brought much needed respite to country’s government from an era of aggressive judicial activism that even led to resignation of Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was forced to quit as country’s PM after he refused to act on the apex court’s orders to reopen graft charges against then President Asif Ali Zardari.

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