In Islamabad, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial has noted that during February 2023, the Supreme Court faced numerous constitutional cases that presented complex constitutional issues.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new judicial year, Chief Justice Bandial mentioned that the court itself encountered challenging situations multiple times, which had an impact on its judicial performance. He refrained from elaborating on specific incidents but emphasized that they played a role in their decisions related to the AudioLeaks case.
Addressing the audience, Chief Justice Bandial stated that this would likely be his final address as Chief Justice, highlighting the court’s performance over the past year. He proudly announced that the Supreme Court had successfully resolved a remarkable 23,000 cases within a year of his tenure, surpassing the previous annual record of 18,000 cases. He further expressed the court’s commitment to reducing the backlog of pending cases to below 50,000.
Regarding the newly appointed Chief Justice, Faiz Isa, Chief Justice Bandial mentioned that they might hold differing opinions but praised the character and qualities of the new Chief Justice.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial also acknowledged the crucial role of the media as the “eyes and ears” of society. However, he pointed out instances of inaccurate reporting, where his statement “good to see” was misconstrued, and comments on delivering “short and sweet judgments” were taken out of context. He expressed his forgiveness for such reporting.
