LAHORE: Orders were issued for the appointment and transfer of 48 District and Sessions Judges in a large-scale reshuffle in the Subordinate Judiciary of Punjab.
The judges of Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sargodha and Gujranula who heard the May 9 tragedy cases were also changed.
The prosecutors were of the view that these judges are biased towards the suspects of the May 9 tragedy. No new judges have been appointed in anti-terrorism courts.
The judge of the anti-terrorism Rawalpindi court was also changed. Malik Ijaz Asif was transferred from Rawalpindi to Lahore. He was hearing 14 cases of May 9 tragedy. They were objected to by prosecutors in the May 9 cases.
He was ordered to drop the charge immediately. As soon as the exchange order came, he dropped the charge. However, a new judge has not yet been appointed for the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court.
District and Session Judges of Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal were also changed. District and Sessions Judge of Sargodha, Abbas, who had written a letter to the Lahore High Court, was also transferred.
District and Sessions Judge Lahore Syed Ali Imran was transferred and appointed as Rahim Yar Khan. The notification was issued after the approval of the Chief Justice Lahore High Court.
Judge Khalid Arshad, who heard the May 9 cases, was also removed from office and ordered to report to the Lahore High Court immediately. A notification was issued in this regard. Naseem Work was appointed Session Judge Lahore.
DG District Judiciary Sarfraz Akhtar has been appointed Session Judge Bahawalpur. Anti-corruption judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta was also removed from office and ordered to report to the Lahore High Court immediately.
Sessions Judge Mianwali Qaiser Butt was also ordered to report to the Lahore High Court. Session Judge Raja Ghasinfar Ali was transferred from Jhelum to Okara.
