Role of Pakistani Media in Populism of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (2007-2013)

The Supreme Court of Pakistan became 'independent' with the restoration of judges in 2009 due to mass protests in general and lawyers' movement in particular. Various actors played their roles in the process of judicial independence which include political parties, legal complex and media. Whereas other actors have been discussed to considerable extent, media as a driver of judicial independence has not been paid adequate attention in current writings. Pakistani media kept the Supreme Court of Pakistan in public focus during from 2007 to 2013 and played a key role in transformation of an unpopular judiciary into most popular judiciary of Pakistani history. Keeping the judiciary in focus and painting it as an independent institution which fosters constitutional supremacy and wishes of the people, media constructed a new political narrative on popular decisions of the court. Media’s role in populism of the apex court shows that judicial independence largely depends upon the narrative media generates about the courts. Existing studies attribute phenomenon of judicial independence to political competition, credible economic commitment, judicial activism and various approaches of judicial decision making. This study will focus on an understudied relationship between media and judicial independence in a hybrid context of Pakistan which is neither democratic nor authoritarian. The nature of role played by media in establishing judicial independence and the resulting political narrative about courts is important to understand judicialisation of politics. Contextual analysis of media-judiciary alliance from 2007 to 2013 will explain that media accorded legitimacy and democratic credentials to the judiciary. The Pakistani media presented the judiciary as an independent, trustworthy and popular institution whereas, in reality, it was as unresponsive in delivering the justice as it was before. As a result, privileges and perks of the judges increased and process of judicial appointments became autonomous without any meaningful reforms to improve deliverance of cheap and speedy justice to people at large..