Justice Athar Minalllah of the Supreme Court expressed on Saturday that judges should not be influenced by criticism on social media and should remain independent.
He made these remarks at a training workshop for court reporters in Islamabad, emphasizing that judges should not violate their oath by being swayed by social media.
Justice Minallah referenced a speech by the founder of Pakistan in 1947, highlighting the importance of criticism as an examination for the judiciary. He stressed the significance of freedom of expression and the need for trust in the judiciary despite criticism.
He also urged for introspection and emphasized the consequences of transgressing the oath, pointing out that Pakistan would not have been divided if the oath was upheld.
Justice Minallah also addressed the issue of criticism falling into different categories and the need for impartial judgments and debates.
Overall, he stressed the importance of judicial independence and the need for judges to remain unaffected by social media criticism.