LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) issued orders on Saturday for the transfer and posting of 48 district and sessions judges (D&SJs) throughout Punjab, including three judges involved in cases related to the May 9 incidents involving PTI founding chairman Imran Khan and others.
A notification from LHC Registrar Abher Gul Khan announced that D&SJ Malik Ejaz Asif has been transferred from the Anti-Terrorism Court-I (ATC) in Rawalpindi and is instructed to report to the relevant authority for further directives. Judge Asif, who was appointed to the Rawalpindi ATC in September 2023, faced allegations from the Punjab government of favoring former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, both held in Adiala Jail. A reference was filed against him on multiple charges, including providing undue favors to the jailed PTI leaders.
The reference accused Judge Asif of visiting Imran Khan’s cell in Adiala Jail on March 25 and asking if he could assist in any way. It was alleged that Khan requested a refrigerator, which the judge approved without notifying the prosecution, and the same was done for Mr. Qureshi. However, the LHC dismissed the reference against him.
Another judge, D&SJ Muhammad Abbas, has been transferred from the Sargodha ATC and instructed to report to the concerned authority. Judge Abbas, who was posted in Sargodha in May this year, had complained in June to the LHC of harassment by intelligence and law enforcement agencies due to his involvement in the May 9 cases against PTI leaders. The then LHC Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad, now a Supreme Court judge, took up the complaint and issued contempt notices to senior police officials in Sargodha, while directing the prime minister to establish guidelines for intelligence agencies.
D&SJ Khalid Arshad, the presiding judge of ATC-I Lahore, who was hearing several cases related to the May 9 riots, including the attacks on Jinnah House, has also been transferred and is directed to report to the LHC for further orders.
Additionally, D&SJ Naseem Ahmad Virk has been transferred from Toba Tek Singh to serve as Lahore’s sessions judge, while D&SJ Malik Ali Zulqarnain Awan has been moved from Layyah to Lahore, where he will assume the role of Director General of the Directorate of District Judiciary.
All judges have been instructed to assume their new posts on or before September 5.
