CHITRAL: A day after lawyers protest against a civil judge accusing him of ‘immoral activities’, the Peshawar High Court transferred him from Booni, Chitral, to the high court as officer on special duty (OSD) on Friday. The transfer order was released by the PHC registrar, Mohammad Arshad, which stated that the judge – Rehmatullah Mehsud – had been transferred with immediate effect.

On Thursday, the lawyers had staged a protest demonstration against the civil judge and blocked the Shahi Qila road for several hours. They claimed that the judge had brought a woman, her minor son and her mother from Booni to Chitral city and arranged their stay with him at a hotel.

However, after the lawyers and local people raised their voice against the judge the hotel management refused to allow him on the hotel premises.

Leaders of the community and lawyers, including Abdul Wali Khan, Alamzeb Khan, Farid Ahmed Jan, Niaz A Niazi and Shahabuddin, criticised the judge, saying that about a month ago the said woman had obtained divorce from her husband through an order issued by the court of the same civil judge.

They said that the lawyers of Booni town had boycotted the court of the judge due to his ‘indecent behaviour’ for the last two weeks, but no action was taken against him.

MNA from Chitral Shahzada Iftikharud Din had also addressed the protesters on Thursday and demanded of the government to take action against the judge.

Also, a joint meeting of the Chitral Circuit Court Bar Association of Peshawar High Court and District Bar Association was held in the district bar room in which a 24-hour deadline was set for the government to expel the judge from the district. The lawyers also demanded an inquiry against the judge, saying they were ready to present evidence against him.