- SC judge calls for establishment of child courts, saying judiciary cognizant of rights of children
ISLAMABAD: Senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Saturday rejected reports on his resignation from the apex court as mere speculations, vowing to continue working for betterment.
“Reports about my resignation from the top court are just speculations. I will not flee and will continue the job that I can do,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah stated while speaking an event here on Saturday.
In his keynote speech at an event on child justice at Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad, the SC judge said the judiciary was cognizant of the rights of children and acknowledged that they, too, had the right to express themselves.
He said it was unfortunate that when a juvenile appeared in the court, judges did not listen to him or her. “We will have to listen to children,” he said categorically.
From now onwards, Justice Mansoor went on to say, judges must listen to children’s point of view as well.
Justice Mansoor stressed the importance of establishing children’s courts in Pakistan, emphasizing that cases involving children should be heard promptly, and the justice system needs to address what it is doing for children.
Justice Mansoor said the judiciary recognizes the rights of children, noting that children are not only our future but also our present. Children are not merely the people of tomorrow; they are the individuals of today, he said and added “Children are a gift from Allah.”
He urged judges of lower courts to understand how crucial justice for children is, noting that public interest cases often bring significant improvements.
The SC judge highlighted that when a child appears in court, they are often not given an opportunity to speak. “We listen to the parents in child-related cases, but from now on, we should listen to the child as well when they appear in court,” he said, stressing the judiciary should include children in the decision-making process.
The SC judge further stated that although he is not on the constitutional bench, his colleagues would listen to the cases related to children. He pointed out that the judiciary must protect children’s rights, yet sometimes even minor issues like a theft case involving a child can result in them being sent to jail.
“We should avoid putting children through a judicial process that could take 15 to 20 years,” he remarked.
Justice Mansoor called for the establishment of children’s courts, where cases involving children could be decided quickly. He emphasized the need to examine what the justice system is doing for children, stating that children also have the right to freedom of expression.
He urged that children should be treated as equally important as adults, saying that no child should have to sit in court all day. “Cases involving children should be heard promptly,” he added.
The SC judge also pointed out that children today face threats like cyberbullying, with over 25 million children in the country not attending school.
The SC judge expressed his concern over harmful practices like the custom of “Vani” (marrying off girls to settle disputes), calling it a shameful tradition still prevalent today.
