ISLAMABAD, 19 July 2007 — Pakistan’s Supreme Court hearing the petition of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said yesterday, “If judges are made accountable, rulers should also be subjected to accountability.”
Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday heading the 13-member bench made the observation when government attorney Sharifuddin Pirzada said that judges of the superior courts were accountable to the Supreme Judicial Council.
Ramday said the law of accountability should be applicable to all. There was no room in law for selective accountability, he said.
Pirzada was trying to press his argument that the case against the chief justice was sent to the SJC by the president in view of doctrine of accountability.
Earlier, when the court started its proceedings Chaudhry’s lawyers strongly condemned Tuesday’s bombing in Islamabad where Justice Chaudhry was scheduled to address lawyers.
Courts across the country observed strike yesterday to condemn the bombing in Islamabad.
Lawyers boycotted courts in Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Multan, Quetta, Sukkur and other cities. Defense lawyer of Justice Chaudhry will wind up his arguments today. A decision in this high-profile case is expected on July 20.
