Mr. Chief Justice, Give Them a Hearing

Adil Najam

I realize that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has much, maybe too much, on his plate right now. And all of immense consequence. He and his court will be judged on how they deal with these monumental issues. But they will also be judged on whether they can give the ordinary Pakistani a confidence in the justice system.

That sense of confidence – now lacking – is as consequential to Pakistan’s future as any other decision that this Chief Justice and this court will make. For that reason alone, one hopes that Mr. Chief Justice will take heed of this news report. So should all of us.

I do not have enough details of this case to make up my mind. But that is not the point. The point is that these parents who have lost their daughter deserve justice to be served. Deserve to find out what really happened. Deserve to bring closure to their immense loss.

Every Pakistani deserves that.