Will resign but won't endorse martial law, says Pak chief justice

Pakistan's Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar today dismissed rumours of the possibility of a "martial law" being imposed in the country and said he will resign but never endorse such a move.

Justice Nisar also assured that no delay in the elections will be allowed and urged the masses to trust him.

"There is no space for any martial law in the Constitution," Nisar said while addressing a ceremony for the renaming of the auditorium at the Supreme Court Bar Association building after the late human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.

"If I'm unable to stop it (the imposition of martial law), then I will go home but I will never endorse (such a move)," the chief justice was quoted as saying by Dawn.

His remarks came a day after ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday said that the country is now trapped in martial laws and warned that his party will not accept any delay in the general election which is scheduled to be held in July.

Last month, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed had asked the chief justice to impose a 90-day-long judicial martial law in the run-up to upcoming general elections.

Pakistan has also witnessed martial laws imposed by the army generals in the past.

The powerful army, which enjoys considerable influence over policy decisions in Pakistan, has ruled the country for much of its life since it gained independence 70 years ago.

Justice Nisar vowed that the judiciary will not let even a word of the Constitution be marred in any way.

"There will only be democracy, democracy and democracy in this country," he promised.

"The time has passed for us (judges) to hold our posts with this filth on our foreheads," he said, referring to martial law regimes and their coerced provisional constitutional orders.

He also paid tribute to Asma Jahangir for her humanitarian efforts and said that he used to consider her a sister.