Sunday, September 13, 2009
Faisal Kamal Pasha

Rawalpindi

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench will start functioning once again from Monday September 14.

The bench remained closed in the wake of landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of July 31 that declared the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) of November 03, 2007 unconstitutional. Consequently the judges who had taken oath under the PCO or had been appointed with the recommendation of the former Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar were declared unqualified to function.

Mr Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa has been appointed as a judge for LHC Rawalpindi bench and he will hear the cases from Monday.

Nearly all the cases that have been fixed for hearing at LHC Rawalpindi Bench are of criminal nature. It is to be mentioned here that Justice Khosa carries the reputation of having expertise in criminal cases.

There are 71 bail matters pending before this bench that Justice Khosa will hear on Monday with some other criminal cases. Bail matters are always important near Eid as more and more people behind the bars must be looking forward to celebrate the religious festival with their family and friends.

Talking to this correspondent President Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Rawalpindi Malik Shehzad Ahmad Gheba said, “We welcome the honourable judge at LHC Rawalpindi Bench. Previously there was another PCO Judge Syed Asghar Haider whose appointment was notified for Rawalpindi Bench but after our protest his notification has been cancelled and Justice Khosa has been appointed hereafter for LHC Rawalpindi Bench.”

Malik Shehzad Gheba said that Justice Khosa is a very competent person and he has also been an active person in the restoration of the judges’ movement.

Talking about the bail matters Shehzad Gheba said that normally the courts try to give maximum relief to the accused by granting bail. People involved in heinous crimes are usually denied bail but the courts consider the bails of those accused in bailable offences.