Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. PHOTO COURTESY: LHC
On Wednesday, Advocate Anwar Dar moved the Islamabad High Court against Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. He alleged the CJ had taken a loan for his mills and money for his son’s treatment. The lawyer requested the court to look into the money trail of the LHC top judge’s family business and his son’s treatment out of the country. The court has reserved its judgment on the maintainability of the petition.
A two-page document issued by the LHC registrar’s office to the Information Commission stated that details about the personal life of public servants need not be provided under the law. However, the details of CJ Shah and his son Ismail Shah’s treatment abroad was being issued voluntarily in the larger public interest.
Lawyer wants to know ‘money trail’ of LHC’s chief justice
It said the chief justice had abandoned his directorship of a textile factory long becoming a judge of a high court. “Since the day he became judge, neither has he worked as the director of any company and nor is engaged in any family business,” it said.
The chief justice also rejected claims that he had taken a loan for his mills or had such an amount waived off.
The document further stated that the CJ had asked the Punjab government about the treatment of his abroad under the law. It added a medical board had suggested that Ismail be sent out of the country for his medical needs.
CJ Shah said the Punjab government had fixed Rs6.4 million for his son’s treatment. The document sent to the Information Commission clarified that Rs4.4 million were spent on his son’s treatment, while the remaining Rs2 million was deposited back in the national exchequer.
The CJ also sent information about his latest income tax returns to the commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2017.
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