ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, has made it clear that judiciary had nothing to do with the removal of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s name from Exit Control List (ECL). It was the federal government that had decided to allow Sharif to travel abroad, he added. “Lahore High Court (LHC) had only set the modalities,” he said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had recently requested Justice Khosa and his successor Justice Gulzar Ahmad to restore public trust in judiciary and see why two systems existed in the country — one for the rich and the other for the poor. Taking exception to Prime Minister’s ‘taunt’, CJP Khosa said the courts of the country had convicted a prime minister and disqualified another.

Justice Khosa was addressing a ceremony after inaugurating a mobile app, call centre and video link facility in all the five courtrooms of the Supreme Court.

Though he didn’t directly address the prime minister in his address, it was clear from his speech when he said, “don’t taunt us for favouring the powerful” whom he was addressing.

Justice Khosa said a decision in a case against a former army chief was about to be announced. Are judiciary’s critics not aware of that, he further asked.

The CJP said a “silent revolution” had already taken place in the country and therefore those criticising judges should be careful. He said: “Times have changed. Now we are completely independent and decide matters strictly in accordance with the law.”

The chief justice said he would like to respond in Urdu, but explained that he would not comment on the “imbalance” as the matter was sub-judice.”

The chief justice, however, welcomed the PM’s announcement about diverting resources to judicial reforms. “We are really feeling the pinch of fewer resources,” he said.

Highlighting several milestones the judiciary had achieved, the chief justice said 3,100 judges of the superior judiciary had decided 3.6 million cases last year. This is something that couldn’t be ignored, he said.

“Please reconsider your statement about the imbalance in dispensing justice,” CJP Khosa said adding that the prime minister was an elected representative and chief executive of the country. “We have great respect for him.”

On Monday, Imran Khan, while addressing the opening ceremony of the Havelian-Mansehra section of Hazara Motorway, had asked the CJP and Justice Gulzar Ahmad to come forward and “restore public trust by ending the impression about favouring the powerful against the poor”.