PESHAWAR, Dec 6: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday released two notifications issued by the federal law department regarding removal of Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan and senior judge Justice Shahjehan Khan on Nov 3.
The notifications were released to the media by PHC Registrar Syed Musadiq Hussain Gilani. On Dec 3 the government had issued a notification about removal of two other judges of the high court — Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan and Justice Dost Mohammad Khan.
The notifications were issued by former federal law secretary Mian Mohammad Ajmal. Justice (retd) Ajmal, who is a caretaker provincial minister, was the chief justice of the high court when President Pervez Musharraf had asked the judges to take a fresh oath on Jan 26, 2000.
“In pursuance to Article 3 of the Oath of Office (Judges) Order, 2007 (Order No.1 of 2007), Mr Justice Tariq Pervez has ceased to hold office of the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court with immediate effect,” one of the notifications said.
The other notification mentioned the name of Justice Shahjehan.
In a press release, the registrar said that a news report had created an impression that a notification issued on Dec 3 by the federal government was aimed at creating rift among the judges. He said two similar notifications regarding Justice Tariq and Justice Shahjehan had already been issued by the federal government on Nov 3.
“Furthermore, these notifications are a formality and legally all those judges who have not made oath under the Oath of Office (Judges) Order, 2007, have already ceased to hold office by virtue of Article 3 of the said order and all those judges who have made oath under the said order have validly continued to hold their offices as judges of the superior courts,” he added.
