RAWALPINDI, May 24: The jailed PPP leader, Asif Ali Zardari, on Monday filed a petition with the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court, challenging the transfer of the judge of the Accountability Court (AC) number 2 , wherein the ARY Gold and SGS references against him were under trial.

Mr Zardari has filed the writ petition through his counsel Dr Babar Awan. The petitioner is seeking stay order against the transfer of the AC-2 judge, Ghulam Hussain Awan, on the grounds that the government had issued transfer orders with effect from June 1, in violation of the law.

According to the law, no judge of the accountability courts could be transferred prior to the completion of his three-year tenure, the petition stated. However, transfer orders of Mr Awan were issued despite the fact that he was yet to complete his three years period, it added.

The petitioner further alleged that the judge was transferred because he was not coming under any pressure from the government high-ups. He has also termed the move a part of, what he termed, the government's policy to victimize him.

Ministry of Law secretary, Cabinet Division secretary, National Accountability Bureau chairman and a section officer of the law ministry, Zahid Shah, have been made respondents to the petition.

Meanwhile, a single bench of Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, comprising Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam, directed the SSP, Rawalpindi, to respond to a petition filed by former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MPA Chaudhry Tanveer regarding alleged harassment of his family by police.

The MPA has filed the petition through his counsel Razzak A Mirza. He has alleged that police parties had raided his house without showing any court orders on May 5, 7, 17 and 20.