The Executive—Judiciary dissonance

We are worried about the continuing attack of the executive on the judiciary. This we consider an unhealthy development for the country. We had hoped that the matter, which stemmed from the Supreme Court verdict on the scrapping of the 16th Amendment, had run its course by now. Regrettably, the CJ's reference to Pakistan, which drew a parallel between that country and Bangladesh, was what triggered the latest spat by the PM, and that has added a new dimension to the matter. We are constrained to say that the situation in the two countries admits of no comparison, and the reference was misplaced and unfortunate.

We believe that no judgment can be beyond criticism, and not all may agree with a verdict. One may question the merit of a judgment but without attributing ulterior motives behind that. It is because one differs with a particular judgment that appeals are lodged, and sometimes the original verdict is overturned. We feel that reservations about a judgment, as in this case, can be and should be resolved through the established procedures and existing judicial channels, and the judiciary, especially the office of the Chief Justice, must be given the prestige and dignity that is called for in the constitution.

The three branches of the government are not contenders or mutually exclusive. In fact the three complement one another in the proper functioning of the state machineries. The executive and the legislative branches should govern while the judiciary should adjudicate. And this can be done without impinging on one another's turf or denigrating one another's status.

The inevitable consequence of the recent dissonance between the two branches is the sapping of people's respect for both the organs of the government, a very dangerous state of affairs. We believe that it is for the respective branches to perform as per the book, without losing sight of the fact that preservation of the dignity and the integrity of the three organs of the state is very much a responsibility of each of them. The denigration of the judiciary should stop immediately for the overall betterment of the country.