Webdesk: Former Pakistani Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani will receive the 2023 ABA International Human Rights Award.
“His courageous judgements against political impunity in a time of crisis and for defending judicial independence” in Pakistan earned the jurist the honour.
The ABA Annual Meeting in Denver will give the prize on August 5.
The judge, who wrote “Justice for All!”, told that the award a “vindication” for his work.
This prize validates my career. “It vindicates my beliefs and my belief that the Constitution and its values should be lived by people,” he said.
Moreover, Justice Jillani, a “balanced” judge, made important local and international rulings.
While, In the Lahore High Court and the apex court, his judgements upheld fundamental rights and gender equality. As well as the right to education, dual nationality, and guidelines for improving legal and medical education.
The right of an adult woman to marry a person of her choice in Islam is one of his most notable ruiling. As well as his landmark minority rights ruling in 2014 after a church blast in Peshawar killed 81 people.
“Justice, a major part of my life,” remarked the former CJP, who comes from a civil servant family. I’ve always defended the law and fought for people’s rights.
“I trained in law and promoted that through [my] judgements because our Constitution ordains rights inherent to people.”
He remarked, “Whenever I get the chance to speak, I would like to promote values I hold dear.”
ABA Press Release
The ABA press release said of his minority rights ruling, which came a month before his retirement: “His judgement not only resolves the thorny question of a potential conflict between Islamic and democratic ideals but also provides a way forward for a country that is committed to upholding Islamic values but can still provide a voice to its marginalised communities.”
“The world [today] is a globalised inter-dependant place,” the famous jurist stated of the nation’s radicalising young. Democracy, freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and truth are evolving as our ideals.
“Keeping ijtihad in mind, we can share the concept of ‘enlightened Islam’,” he added, adding that we can balance economic and social connections.
The former high court judge is the World Justice Project’s honorary chair.
