PESHAWAR: Following the bifurcation of the post of senior civil judge into the administration and judicial categories, the Peshawar High Court has appointed 19 senior civil judges (administration) across the province saying it will ensure smooth functioning of the district judiciary and its good performance.

The court insisted that the objective of creating posts of administrative senior civil judges with the approval of the provincial government was to bifurcate and delegate administrative responsibilities to the senior civil judges so that the judicial officers could have ample time to concentrate on judicial work and decide cases within the specified time to clear backlog.

The administrative senior civil judges include Shabbir Mohammad Durrani in Lakki Marwat, Asadullah in Hangu, Shahid Mehmood in Haripur, Ejazur Rehman in Battagram, Naseer Khan in Charsadda, Farhana Tabassum in Buner, Syed Hassan Raza in Upper Dir, Asghar Ali in Nowshera, Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui in Shangla, Nasrullah Khan in Chitral, Ubaidullah in Torghar, Mohammad Ayaz in Lower Dir, Mohammad Ishaq in Mansehra, Mohammad Zahoor in Lahor (Swabi), Asmatullah in Tank, Syed Fazal Wadood in Karak, Mohammad Qasim in Malakand, Syed Murad Ali Shah in Nowshera and Ihsanul Haq in Swabi.

Says appointments to ensure smooth functioning of district judiciary

The incumbent senior civil judges became senior civil judges (judicial).

They include Mah Jabeen in Lakki Marwat, Islamuddin in Abbottabad, Shah Sultan in Karak and Qaisar Khan in Mardan.

Civil judges Shoukat Hussain was transferred from Shangla to Tangi (Charsadda) and Mohammad Kashif Khan from Shangla to Lahor (Swabi).

Recently, the high court promoted 22 civil judges as senior civil judges and introduced the post of senior civil judge (administration) throughout the province in light of the institution of fresh cases. Now, the senior civil judges in the province total 55.

A notification issued by PHC Registrar Khwaja Wajihuddin explained the job description of the senior civil judge (judicial) and senior civil judge (administration).

The senior civil judge (administration) will cover the ever increasing pendency through specialised administrative support and will perform judicial work as well.

The job of senior civil judge (judicial) includes disposal of judicial work of civil nature including succession, guardianship, rent, family, insolvency, overseas Pakistanis, environmental issues, and that of criminal nature already defined in any local or special law, PHC Rules and Orders and Judicial Esta Code, excluding administrative work, and marking of cases to civil judges.

Meanwhile, the high court on Wednesday ordered the posting and transfer of 25 judicial officers, including 23 senior civil judges (SCJ) and two civil judges-cum-judicial magistrates.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2018