Islamabad July 7 (TNS): After the law ministry delayed a summary seeking extension in service tenure of Islamabad Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir, who is going to retire on March 13, the Supreme Court has summoned the law secretary to give an explanation over the delay.
Trial court judge Bashir is hearing the corruption references filed against the Sharif family by the National Accountability Bureau in the light of the Supreme Court judgment in the Panama Papers.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar while taking notice of the delay in giving an extension to the service of the trial court judge summoned the law secretary to appear in person and apprise the court of the latest progress on the summary.
The accountability court judge has already been given extension in his service tenure and under NAB Ordinance, a judge who is a serving as a district and sessions judge shall hold office for a period of three years.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association has already opposed the administration’s summary seeking extension in service of the trial court judge beyond the mandated period.
IHCBA President Syed Javed Akbar said that the extension in judge Bashir’s service was in contravention of NAO 1999. He said that it also negated Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar’s promise of rotating judges of the lower courts.
Judge Bashir was appointed the trial /accountability court judge in 2012. In 2015, the PML-N government extended his service term for three years and the second term is set to end on March 13.
