SC bans using word 'sir' for states officials

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan Wednesday banned using the word ‘Sir’ for government officials.

According to details, the three-member bench of Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the bail appeal of accused in the case of a nine-year-old child’s murder in Mardan.

During the hearing of the case, word ‘sir’ was used with the name of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). In this regard, CJP Qazi Faez said that the use of word ‘Sir’ does not reflect an independent nation.

The court stated that the government employees consider themselves above accountability by the word ‘Sir’. The copy of the decision should be sent to Inspector General (IG), Advocate General and Home Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa stated that police has done no investigation on the case, the Supreme Court has been turned into a magistrate's court.

Justice Qazi Faiz expressed anger saying if it’s a joke, there are no arguments of the case and we are here just to see the faces of the lawyers.

He continued if the file of the case was too heavy to be carried by two officers coming from KP to Islamabad. The CJP stated that they enjoyed free petrol and Traveling Allowance and Dearness Allowance (TADA) while printing a WhatsApp file is expensive.

Qazi Faez added: “Why people are sourcing the financed of the police. A child has been killed and this condition of police’s poor investigation after which the court gets blamed for setting the accused free. He was a child of poor, therefore the police did not consider it necessary to investigate seriously”.

The Additional Advocate General KP said in the court that Sir DSP can tell the details of the case. To which CJP got furious and said that you have spoiled everyone's mind by calling them ‘Sir’, he is a worthless DSP, not a sir.

The Chief Justice expressed his anger and stated that this is the standard of your inquiry and investigation.

While taking information from the investigating officer in the courtroom, the Chief Justice expressed his anger on the Additional Advocate General and said: “You have considered the courtroom as your office. Doing office work in court shows irresponsibility”.

The Chief Justice inquired about the evidence against the accused. DSP Investigation Peshawar said that two witnesses saw the child going with the accused. To which Chief Justice of Pakistan replied that you could have added four witnesses, show the evidence.

DSP Investigation Peshawar said the child used to work in his uncle's workshop.

The Chief Justice said that how an uncle can let his nephew go with a stranger. Why did the workshop staff inform the child's family after 16 days? Why did the police not record the statements of the workshop employees? “KP police do the worst investigation”.

The Supreme Court said that the police did not conduct any investigation to determine those responsible for the child's death, this is the best case to give an example of poor investigation.

Later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan granted bail to the accused in the child murder case.