RAWALPINDI: On Saturday, an Additional District & Sessions Judge (ADSJ) in Rawalpindi was relieved of his post, a day after he rebuked the Defense Secretary for non-compliance with a court order.
According to a notification from the Lahore High Court registrar, ADSJ Waris Ali has been designated as an officer on special duty (OSD) and transferred to Lahore, signifying his removal from the case.
The notification stated, “The honorable chief justice and judges are pleased to post Mr. Waris Ali, Additional District & Sessions Judge, Rawalpindi, as OSD at Sessions Court, Lahore in the public interest, with immediate effect.” An OSD is a government employee without specific responsibilities who continues to receive salaries and other benefits.
ADSJ Ali had apparently drawn criticism from higher authorities after he directed the federal government to remove Defense Secretary Retired Lt Gen Hamooduz Zaman. The judge ordered the defense secretary to submit a report on the military’s business activities and their beneficiaries.
However, the defense secretary neither complied with the order nor appeared in court. The judge, dissatisfied with the absence of the lead counsel and the submission of a memo of appearance by the clerk, refused to accept it.
In his written verdict, ADSJ Ali ordered the removal of the defense secretary, citing the conduct as a denial of the judiciary’s existence, a pillar of the state. He sought the attorney general’s assistance, noting that the case required interpretation of the Constitution regarding the regulation of the armed forces’ functions under Article 245.
The next hearing was scheduled for November 24, but with ADSJ Ali directed to take charge as OSD before November 20, a new judge will take over the case.
PTI Faces Setback as Key Leader Ali Nawaz Awan Defects to Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) faced a setback as its vocal and prominent leader, Ali Nawaz Awan, declared his departure from the party.
Ali Nawaz Awan announced his decision to join the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) during a meeting at the Lahore office, where he met with IPP’s Patron-in-Chief Jahangir Khan Tareen and President Abdul Aleem Khan, alongside the presence of Awn Chaudhry and other party leaders.
Simultaneously, the leadership of IPP expressed appreciation for Ali Nawaz’s choice and extended a warm welcome to him as he joined the party.
