Pakistan, April 21 -- When I was chief justice of a high court, there used to frequently appear before me a lawyer who on several counts deserved to be elevated as a judge of the court. I found him learned in law and courteous and never heard anything against his integrity. I was thinking of recommending his name for elevation but ultimately decided against it on learning that he was in a live-in relationship with a woman. For this, I have been criticised by many people. I owe the public an explanation.

We are living in a transitional period of Indian history. It is a transition from a feudal to a modern society. A clash of values is taking place in our society. Old feudal values are clashing with new modern ones. For instance, the caste...