Lahore High Court: New chief justice hits the ground running

Governor Salman Taseer administered oath to the new chief justice of the Lahore High Court.

LAHORE:

Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry took oath as the chief justice of the Lahore High Court in a solemn ceremony held at the Governor House on Thursday.

Punjab Governor Salman Taseer administered the oath to him while Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmed, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, provincial ministers, judges of the Lahore High Court, members of the civil society and government officials were also present.

The newly appointed Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry on his first working day as chief justice took a suo motu notice of police torture on students and teachers outside the Punjab Assembly and sought a report from Punjab’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) by December 13. The chief justice directed the IGP to submit a written report through an officer not below the rank of deputy inspector general, fully conversant with the facts.

In the suo motu, the chief justice held: “A news item along with a photograph appearing in the newspapers showing the police subjecting a teacher to torture and assault outside the Punjab Assembly during the protest on the issue of the constitution of a board of governors and privatisation of educational institutions, appears outrageous and in violation of freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution.” The courts being custodian therefore are under a duty to ensure that the rights of citizens are protected, he held.

Justice Chaudhry added that to know the actual and factual position of the matter, “I, in exercise of my powers under Article 199(1)(c) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 direct the IGP to submit a detailed report in writing.” He also directed advocate general Punjab to ensure compliance of this order and appear before the court to assist in the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2010.