PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Monday claimed that the four judicial officers sacked few days ago were treated fairly as they had earned adverse annual confidential reports (ACRs) for three consecutive years.

Reacting to the claim of three of the sacked judges in a news conference that they were treated unfairly and were removed without proper inquiry, a news release issued by the PHC said all four judicial officers, who were removed from service, and the fifth one who had resigned, had secured adverse ACRs for 2015, 2016 and 2017.

On Aug 17, the PHC had removed from service two additional district and sessions judges Naeem Iqbal and Aurangzeb Khan and two civil judges Shakeelur Rehman and Saima Irfan for misconduct under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Servant (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules 2011.

It had also accepted the resignation of suspended civil judge Johar Ijaz.

The news release said, “Despite adverse entries communicated to them they failed to guard their reputation. As they were persistently reported being corrupt and therefore, the administrative committee of Peshawar High Court in its unanimous decision recommended departmental proceedings against them.”

“Their counseling was done previously to improve but they did not, hence they were served with a show cause notice under Rule 7 of the Government Servants (Efficiency and Disciplinary) Rules, 2011. After receiving their reply, they were personally heard patiently individually,” it added.

The release said every detail was discussed with them. They were apprised of the record against them and given opportunity to contradict it. They were treated fairly in accordance with law.”

It further said in 2017, 13 judicial officers were dismissed from service by adopting the same procedure and as the case of the present judicial officers was at par with them, therefore they were treated alike.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018