In fact, an impartial and independent judiciary is universally recognized as a core value of any civilized democracy. This is evidenced by the international conventions that protect this value as a fundamental right of the people (ref: United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of Judiciary and The (Montreal) Universal Declaration on the Independence of Justice). The significance of an independent judiciary is also deeply embedded in Pakistan with the Constitution itself guaranteeing in its Preamble that: “…the independence of the judiciary shall be fully secured;” Even this Court in its pronouncements on the meaningful working of the Constitutional scheme of trichotomy of powers has many a times reaffirmed that the judiciary must enjoy the confidence of the litigants and the general public in its impartiality and commitment to dispense justice in accordance with law. A prerequisite for these attributes is the guarantee of the independence of the judiciary.
PLD 2021 SC 1
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