Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Tuesday noticed that the observe of adding the word “sahib” to at least one’s job title ought to be discontinued because it “unnecessarily elevates the standing of public servants”.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word sahib means sir or grasp. It is used particularly among the many “native inhabitants of colonial India when addressing or talking of a European of some social or official standing”.

The prime decide barred the usage of the word as we speak in an order pertaining to a bail plea. The case in query concerned the homicide of a kid in Peshawar final yr. The police had nominated the petitioner, Javid Khan, within the first data report on the idea of statements recorded by the sufferer’s relations.

In his plea filed within the apex court docket, the petitioner had contended that the relations’ statements didn’t stand motive and sought bail within the case.

The petition was taken up by a 3-member bench headed by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aminuddin Khan.

In an order issued as we speak, a duplicate of which is obtainable with Dawn.com, CJP noticed that the Additional Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had referred to the deputy superintendent of police as “DSP sahib”.

“It is about time that the observe of adding the word sahib with one’s job title is discontinued because it unnecessarily elevates the established order of public servants, which can instil in them delusions of grandeur and a notion of unaccountability, which is unacceptable because it is in opposition to the pursuits of the public whom they’re meant to serve,” he mentioned.

The decide acknowledged that it transpired throughout the listening to that the case challan solely relied on two statements and a correct investigation didn’t happen to determine what had occurred.

“This is a basic instance of an incompetently dealt with investigation,” CJP Isa noticed.

He added {that a} observe had currently developed concerning bringing the case to court docket, “rendering this court docket into an workplace of the prosecution”.

“Rather than attending to the matter with the seriousness that it deserves, two cops, who’re investigating the crime, travelled from Peshawar to convey paperwork which might have been emailed, faxed or despatched by WhatsApp, after which the related paperwork might have been filed, which might have been helpful in figuring out the end result of this bail utility,” the highest decide mentioned.

He subsequently granted bail to the petitioner in opposition to surety bonds value Rs100,000 and ordered {that a} case of additional enquiry be made out.