LAHORE: Four judges of the Lahore High Court have recused themselves from a post-arrest bail petition of a suspect in murder case of a local businessman, Mian Qadeer Ahmad, in the last nine months.

Misri Shah police station registered the FIR of the murder on Dec 4, 2018, against several nominated people.

The deceased also obtained nationality of Canada and was said to be a business partner of a famous politician.

Since its first hearing on Nov 20, 2019, the bail petition by Jamil Khan, one of the suspects, was partly heard by four judges on 12 separate hearings till April 13, 2020.

Whereas, on April 28, Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry took up the petition adjourned hearing due to unavailability of complainant’s counsel. On subsequent hearing on May 6, Justice Chaudhry recused himself from the petition observing that he had been counsel for the deceased before his elevation.

Later, Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi held multiple hearings of the petition from May 15 to June 29 when he reserved verdict after hearing arguments from both sides -- the petitioner and the complainant.

However, the next day on June 30, Justice Rizvi put the matter into rehearing with an observation that certain points required further assistance by the parties.

The judge on July 3 recused himself from the matter.

“For certain reasons I will not like to hear this petition. Hence, the office is directed to fix this case before some other learned bench of this court after soliciting requisite orders from the chief justice,” read the order dictated by Justice Rizvi.

Later, the bail petition was fixed on July 7 before Justice Aalia Neelum who also recused herself from the matter the same day citing personal reasons.

Consequently, Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi took up the petition on July 15, partly heard arguments and adjourned for July 20 when he was not available due to ongoing summer vacation and Justice Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad heard it and deferred till July 23.

After hearing arguments at some length, Justice Ahmad also recused himself from the petition and sent it back to office for its fixation before a bench that decided bail petition of a co-suspect.

However, in the eveningpetitioner’s counsel Chaudhry Shoaib Saleem received a text message on his mobile phone from the LHC office that the petition has been fixed for hearing on July 28 before Justice Mushtaq Ahmad.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2020