The past year has been characterized by incidents of judicial orders being ignored, judicial territory being encroached upon, and a lack of regard for the highest court’s decisions on the law. Despite being asked to write a review of the year’s major decisions by the Pakistani judiciary, the author has been unable to do so. The article would have focused on the judiciary’s actions, the influence of the establishment, and the role of politicians.
The author highlights the state of affairs in the country, including the Supreme Court’s involvement in cases related to journalists and politicians, and the sentencing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The author describes the general atmosphere of uncertainty in the Supreme Court and the conflicting decisions made by different judges.
The author also discusses the strange proceedings related to the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the denial of election symbol proceedings to the PTI, and the delay tactics of the ECP. The article points to a pattern of state authorities ignoring court orders and selectively complying with decisions that align with their interests.
The author criticizes the complicity of lawyers and bar associations in the system, and questions the legitimacy and authority of the Supreme Court in light of its actions. The article concludes with a conversation between a Supreme Court judge and the attorney-general, highlighting the complex and problematic nature of the justice system in Pakistan.