Amraiz Khan
Outgoing Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Muhammad Qasim Khan while addressing a full Court reference said that no one is above the constitution and law.
“Everyone is answerable and accountable to the law.” LHC Chief Justice designated Muhammad Amir Bhatti along with other judges bade farewell to Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan with best wishes.
According to details, a full court reference was held in honor of retiring Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan.
In his address, the chief justice said that the judge is not only answerable to applicants but also answerable to his conscience.
“We are also supposed to be appeared before Allah Almighty for our deeds.” He said that now is the time to take arguments through video links.
He was of the view that performing as judge was not a bed of roses. Judges and lawyers are equally responsible for providing immediate justice to the aggrieved people.
The chief justice underscored that the district judiciary is the backbone of the judicial system.
He said that despite Corona epidemic, the Lahore High Court had given verdicts in more than 145,000 cases while the number of decisions of the district judiciary was more than 2.786 million.
LHC judges, including Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Ali Baqir Najafi, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan and Justice Miss Alia Neelum, Additional Attorney General Malik Naveed Sohail, Prosecutor General, Punjab Rana Arif Kamal Noon, Advocate General, Punjab Ahmad Owais, LHC Bar President Maqsood Butter and others attended the function while LHC Registrar Malik Mushtaq Ahmed Aujla conducted the proceedings.
Following the full court reference, a traditional farewell ceremony was held in honor of Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan.
Incoming Chief Justice presented a bouquet to Qasim Khan and bade him farewell with good wishes.
Justice Qasim further said that Punjab Judicial Academy and district courts were modelled on modern lines when he was at the helm of affairs.
“The record rooms of district courts were digitalized,” he said, and added various steps were taken for the convenience of both lawyers and litigants.
The outgoing CJ further said that substantial increases were made in the judicial and utility allowances of judges in order to improve their financial condition.
He further said that it was clearly laid down in the preface of 1973 constitution that only Allah (The Almighty) is the repository of all the powers. “Judges and the Bar will together have to take this country forward,” he stressed.
