Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umer Ata Bandial has said the armed forces in Pakistan play an important role and are held in high esteem as they lay down their lives for the national cause.

A 49-member delegation of the Command and Staff College Quetta headed by Lt Colonel Hashim Iqbal Bajwa, directing staff, and comprising course participants from military bureaucracy of 20 friendly countries called on Justice Bandial here on Friday.

The chief justice said the armed forces are regulated under constitutional provisions and are called to act in aid of civilian democratic institutions under special circumstances like floods, earthquakes, etc.

He informed the delegation about the 25th Constitutional Amendment that ensured rule of law in the newly-merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He gave an overview of the 1973 Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

He informed the delegation about the trichotomy of power in Pakistan, functions and importance of each organ of the state, i.e. parliament, executive and judiciary. The chief justice of Pakistan briefed the delegation on the judicial system, its functioning, role, dispensation of justice and constitutional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, high courts and district courts to provide relief to people.

He explained that the Supreme Court, under the constitutional scheme, possesses special jurisdiction of the judicial review to examine certain acts of legislative and executive organs of the state as per the criterion provided in the Constitution. He also highlighted the fundamental rights enunciated in the Constitution. Later, the chief justice answered the questions of the participants in an interactive session.