Pakistan's reinstated top judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has urged lawyers to wipe out corruption in the judiciary.
He made the comments on his first day in court for 16 months, two years after he was dismissed by military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
Millions of Pakistanis hope he will cleanse the judiciary, but experts warn that he faces huge challenges to bring about legal and institutional reform.
‘It is a matter of great satisfaction and a day of thanksgiving to Allah the almighty that after a long period the original court has been restored,’ Mr Chaudhry said.
‘There is rampant corruption in this institution (judiciary). This cannot be eradicated without the help of lawyers. You people should come forward to point out such cases,’ he said.
‘I will request all of you, being officers of this court, to put your house in order first,’ Mr Chaudhry said.
Meanwhile, lawyers filed a petition to reverse the appointment of dozens of supreme court and high court judges nominated under emergency rule in Pakistan and without going through the correct legal processes.
Another petition was filed at the Lahore branch of the supreme court, calling for Mr Musharraf to face trial for treason.
Mr Chaudhry and 60 other top judges were sacked by the former president, who feared the supreme court would disqualify him from contesting a presidential election while remaining head of the military.
