Islamabad (Pakistan News): The Federal Shariat Court has clarified that compassion or personal ethics cannot substitute the law, and judges must deliver justice strictly in accordance with legal provisions.
During the hearing, the court emphasized that judges should not base their decisions on emotions or personal feelings. Judicial rulings cannot be founded on personal beliefs or political considerations, and the credibility of the judiciary lies solely in the enforcement of the law.
The court declared the Sindh High Court’s order null and void, which had permitted a student to sit in a special or super-supplementary exam. The Federal Shariat Court noted that there is no provision for such permission under the law or regulations, and high courts cannot issue orders based on personal sympathy or feelings.
The court further stated that judges are obligated to deliver justice without fear or discrimination, as Pakistan is a state governed by the Constitution, not individuals. Giving precedence to sympathy over legal responsibility is equivalent to deviating from judicial office.
It was also clarified that high courts operate under limited jurisdiction according to Article 199 of the Constitution and possess only those powers explicitly granted by law or the Constitution. No judicial forum has the authority to exceed constitutional limits.
This case involved a student of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, who missed annual and supplementary exams due to a kidney transplant. The student’s requests to the university administration had previously been rejected.
