Judge Bashir withdraws leave application

Islamabad Accountability Court-I Judge Muhammad Bashir on Saturday withdrew his application for leave after the Ministry of Law and Justice turned down the request.

The judge is adjudicating some high profile cases including the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references filed against former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for alleged misuse of state’s gift repository—Toshakhana—and their involvement in a £190m corruption scandal.

He is also hearing another Toshakhana reference involving former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gillani, as well as former president Asif Ali Zardari as accused.

The judge is also presiding over the hearing of a fake account case registered against Zardari and a NAB reference against former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Read: Judge Bashir seeks leave till retirement

On January 20, Justice Bashir had applied for medical leave until his retirement on March 14, citing deteriorating health. In the letter sent to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Ministry of Law and Justice, the judge had stated that due to his deteriorating health, he could not perform his duties.

However, the Ministry of Law and Justice did not approve his request. Following the denial, the judge withdrew his application, stating that he was now well and could perform his duties.

In July 2018, Judge Bashir sentenced Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law Captain Safdar in the Avenfield reference. The IHC overturned the verdict last year on November 29.

Appointed in 2012 during the tenure of then PM Gilani, the judge has served an unusually long term. Although accountability court judges are typically appointed for three years, Judge Bashir has been serving in the NAB court for eleven years.

His tenure has seen appointments by former PMs Nawaz Sharif in 2018 and Imran Khan in 2021.