Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, a member of the Supreme Court bench that overturned its previous decision in the NAB amendment case, emphasized the importance of judicial comity. He expressed the need for judges to respect and constructively disagree with their peers’ decisions.
In a recent judgment, Justice Rizvi could not endorse the reasoning presented by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, as he felt it lacked sufficient justification. The case revolved around public representatives benefiting from the PDM coalition government’s amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO).
Justice Rizvi also raised concerns about unreasonable remarks made regarding former Supreme Court judges in a previous judgement. He stressed the importance of criticism focusing on legal principles rather than disparaging individuals.
The judge highlighted the need for dissent and disagreement to be expressed with courtesy and restraint, especially within the judiciary. He emphasized the Code of Conduct for judges, urging for respectful dialogue even in times of disagreement.