Promotions and punishments: 11 AD&SJs, 4 SCJs promoted

A release issued by court said decision was taken in a meeting presided over by LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Administration Committee (AC) on Saturday promoted 11 additional district & sessions judges (AD&SJs) to district and sessions judges (D&SJs).

A press release issued by the court said the decision was taken in a meeting presided over by LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

The promoted AD&SJs are Zafar Hussain Bhatti, Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Ittefaq Abbasi, Faiz Muhammad, Khalid Mahmood Ranjha, Tariq Masood Bhatti, Mian Muhammad Anwar, Shafiqur Rehman Khan, Mahboob Ahmad Khan, Tahir Sabir and Wajahat Hussain Khan.

The committee also promoted four senior civil judges (SCJs) to AD&SJs. The promoted judges are Safdar Ali, Zafaryab Anwar, Rafaqat Ali Gondal, and Israrzada.

AD&SJ Allah Bakhsh Khan was not considered for promotion while the promotion of eight other AD&SJs was deferred. These included Chaudhry Mahmoodul Hassan, Rana Zahoor Ahmad, Chaudhry Javed Iqbal, Shaukat Mahmood, Muhammad Zafar Abbas Sabzwari, Rao Abdul Jabbar Khan, Malik Muhammad Iqbal and Mian Ghulam Hussain.

The case of SCJ Fayyaz Ahmad Zaheer for promotion to AD&SJ was also deferred.

The press release said the court presented an opportunity to judicial officers, who had either not been considered for promotion or deferred for promotion to D&SJ, to present their position to a committee comprising two LHC judges.

Six AD&SJs and four SCJs were promoted.

The committee also imposed the major penalty of one-stage lowering in pay scale on AD&SJ Ali Raza Awan while the minor penalty of withholding of two increments for a period of one year was imposed upon civil judge Haris Ali Mian.

The AC also dropped disciplinary proceeding against civil judge Zulfiqar Ahmad Gondal.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2012.