LAHORE:
Federal Constitutional Court Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan on Saturday pledged to protect the constitutional rights of every Pakistani without discrimination, saying the judiciary remained committed to upholding equality and justice for all citizens.
Addressing the Justice AR Cornelius Conference organized by the Minority Rights Forum in Lahore, the Chief Justice described former Chief Justice Alvin Robert Cornelius as one of the greatest judges of Pakistan, who served the country impartially throughout his career.
Justice Aminuddin Khan said protecting the rights of minorities was not only a constitutional obligation but also a moral responsibility. He assured the participants that as Chief Justice, he would ensure equal protection of constitutional rights for every citizen.
Speaking at the conference, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the government, the executive and the judiciary were all required to operate within the confines of the Constitution.
He said that around 6.6 million minorities were living in Pakistan and announced that the Minorities Commission would start functioning before the next budget.
FCC Judge Ali Baqar Najafi said Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees religious freedom and protection of minority rights. Referring to Article 20 of the Constitution, he said every citizen has the right to live according to their religious beliefs.
Justice Ali Baqar Najafi said religious freedom means respecting one’s faith without interfering with that of others, adding that the constitutional protection of religious freedom reflects the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said safeguarding religious freedom was not just about protecting minorities but also about protecting the Constitution itself.
At the end of the lecture, shields were distributed to the participants and a cake was cut in memory of Justice Cornelius.
Later, while speaking to the media after attending the conference, Justice Minister Tarar said there was currently no sign of a 28th constitutional amendment, emphasizing that any moves towards constitutional changes would only be made after consultation with coalition partners and other stakeholders.
He added that the government operated under a coalition where even ordinary legislation required consultation, making constitutional amendments impossible without consensus.
The Justice Minister further said the consultation process would move forward whenever the coalition parties give a signal, adding that all stakeholders would be considered as some issues require national consensus.
Referring to the 2009 constitutional reforms, he said the consensus at the time was achieved through national dialogue and any future process would follow the same path. He clarified that no final draft of a constitutional amendment currently existed and said the contours of any proposed amendment could not be determined until a formal draft was prepared.
