SIALKOT, July 26: The bodies of three slain civil judges were sent to their native towns on Saturday for burial amid tight security under the supervision of a civil judge each.

Asif Mumtaz Cheema of Sargodha was appointed as civil judge in Sialkot on Sept 1, 2001. Shahid Muneer Ranjha of Mandi Bahauddin was appointed as civil judge in Sialkot on Nov 4, 2002, while Muhammad Sagheer Anwar of Sahiwal was deputed in Sialkot on June 6, 2003.

Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital MS Dr Syed Firdous Hussain told Dawn that only “normal external autopsy” had been conducted on the bodies of the three judges on the direction of the local administration.

He said the condition of seriously injured civil judge Sheharyar Bukhari was still stated to be critical in a Lahore hospital. He was shifted to Lahore for his critical condition late Friday night. The condition of other three injured civil judges — Javaid Iqbal Warraich, Sibtain Kazmi and Shaikh Naeem — was stable at the DHQ Hospital, he said.

Meanwhile, the ghaibana funeral prayers of the three civil judges were held at Sialkot Police Line on Saturday.

Those who attended the funeral prayers, included National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Ameer Hussain, Punjab Industries Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema, District Nazim Mian Naeem Javid, Sialkot DCO, DSJ Chaudhry Zafar Hussain, Sialkot DBA president Munawar Warraich, civil judges,magistrates, lawyers and journalists.

laid to rest: Civil judge Chaudhry Asif Mehmood Cheema was laid to rest on Saturday morning at his native village 102-SB.

A large number of people, including judges and lawyers, attended his funeral prayer at the Commerce College ground.

The late judge was married to his cousin, the daughter of former Gujranwala district attorney Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad Cheema, only six months back. He joined the judiciary a couple of years ago after leaving the service of police inspector.

Qul will be offered on Sunday (today) at 8.30am at his residence on Faisalabad Road near Commerce College.

SAHIWAL: Civil judge Sagheer Akhtar was laid to rest at his ancestral Haripur village.