Judge sacked over scuffle with citizen reinstated

ISLAMABAD: A judicial tribunal on Thursday reinstated the additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Mohammad Jahangir Awan whose services were terminated following a scuffle with a citizen.

Former Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah in December 2020 sacked Awan over the Red Zone scuffle incident.

The judge filed the appeal against his dismissal before the three-member judicial tribunal.

The tribunal comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri decided the appeal on Thursday and set aside Justice Minallah’s order.

Justice Minallah in the dismissal order of the judge noted that “the crime scene was situated in a high security area of the capital - Red Zone… the act of the judge of firing twice from his firearm weapon had to be justified and he had to discharge the onus that it was absolutely necessary for a judge to do so.”

The judge entered into a compromise with the two accused, the then CJ order said, adding his entering into a compromise with the main accused had the effect of condoning violation of law.

The incident had attracted extraordinary public attention because of the status of the parties, more so because one of them held a judicial office and represented the institution even when outside the court and the other one was the husband of a Member of Provincial Assembly, observed Justice Minallah.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023