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Setting a remarkable benchmark, Yousaf Saleem, the first ever bind judge of Pakistan has set new precedents by deciding 20 cases in just three months.
No Success without Struggle…
But, the path has not been all roses for Yousaf in this testing journey. After he had applied for the position of a civil judge, he was earlier dropped for being blind. But upon the immediate intervention the then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, he was reconsidered and recommended for the position of the civil judge.
The chief justice of Pakistan had directed the chief justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) to review the case saying, that a person could be a judge even if he is blind, provided he meets all other qualifications.
“It appears in this case, his fundamental rights under Articles 9, 14 and 25 of the Constitution, the provisions of the UN Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by Pakistan, three percent quota under the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981, and the jurisprudence developed by the Lahore High Court in PLD 2017 Lahore 406 and PLD 2017 Lahore 1 were not considered by the Lahore High Court,” the SC press release read.
Meritorious Academia
A gold medalist of the Punjab University in LLB (Honors), Yousaf had topped the written judiciary exam among 6,500 candidates. He was amongst 21 candidates, who qualified for interview.
Saleem was thrilled when he received a letter of recommendation by Lahore High Court (LHC) which read:
“Honourable Examination Committee for Recruitment of District Judiciary and Lahore High Court Establishment has recommended you for appointment as Civil Judge-cum-Magistrate.”
Believing in the Impossible!
Yousaf has four sisters and two of them are also blind. One of his sisters, Saima Saleem, is the first blind person to pass her civil service exam in 2007 and currently works in the Prime Minister Secretariat as a deputy secretary while his other sister is a lecturer in a university in Lahore.
Son of a Chartered Accountant, Yousaf has though lost vision, he has not lost sight of his dreams. He wants to become the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
I have a Dream…
THEY say that justice is blind — that is, impartial and objective — and that all citizens stand equal before the law. And like Martin Luther King, Yousuf Saleem has a dream that when he would rise to the summit of Supreme Court, people like him will be judged by their qualifications and personal skills and not by how many functional limbs do they possess.
It Takes Great Resilience To Stand The Storm…
The story of Bashir is indeed an inspiration for every other person who believes in achieving the impossible… A story, which carries the attributes of resilience, perseverance, patience and untiring hard work – conveys the epitome message of Never Giving up on Your Dreams by defying all odds…
The Dawn is near…
One shall never be uncertain under the cloud of uncertainty. We must stand resolute before saying to ourselves that we will never look back again. The moments which are gone were your lessons, the moment in which you live today defines the reality, and the moments that wait ahead are your destiny…
Here’s the video where Yousaf could be seen narrating his story in his own words…
Let us know what you think about this inspiring story in the comments below!
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