Altaf Ahmid Rao Mirpur
Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) judiciary – both superior and subordinate – is facing an acute shortage of judges since past many months ‘apparently’ due to the negligence and indifference of the concerned authorities.
twThe severe shortage of judges in the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu Kashmir as well as the AJK High Court and certain of the subordinate courts have been causing inordinate delay in disposal of the under trial cases, making the litigants to run from the pillar to post for justice, revealed a survey conducted by this Correspondent.
According to the findings of the survey, the AJK Supreme Court is being run comprising only judge – the acting Chief Justice of the apex court Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan against the sanctioned strength of three judges including a Chief Justice and two permanent judges – since the recent retirement of the CJ Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Zia and Senior Judge Justice Ghulam Mustaf Mughal on superannuation of the stipulated age of retirement.
Similarly, the High Court of Azad Jammu Kashmir is also facing an absolute shortage of judges against the sanctioned strength of nine judges since past many months.
It may be added that following the lack of permanent chief justice, the AJK HC is being run by acting Chief Justice Justice Azhar Saleem Baber for more than one year.
