PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and other speakers at a full court reference on Friday praised Justice Mohammad Daud Khan of the high court over a successful career as judge.

Justice Mohammad Daud Khan will retire on July 31 (Sunday).

After his retirement, the high court’s strength will reduce to 14 against the sanctioned strength of 20.

Court’s strength will reduce to 14 after Justice Daud’s retirement

Four of the serving judges are working on additional basis. They await confirmation as permanent judges of the court.

At the event, the speakers said Justice Daud Khan had never made a compromise on the rule of law and earned respect among members of the bar and bench for his principled stand on different issues.

Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel said it would be with a heavy heart to bid farewell to a colleague like Justice Daud Khan but they’re comforted by the fact that he had been lucky enough to complete his term of office very successfully and was retiring with grace and satisfaction.

“Justice Mohammad Daud Khan has always been an uncompromising believer in democracy and rule of law. Right from his student life till elevation to the bench, has actively participated in every movement related to the establishment and development of rule of law and in the course has also faced the brunt of the same by serving terms many a times in the prison,” he said.

The chief justice said not only in the popular lawyers’ movement of 2007 but even in 1980s when the dictator tried to damage the rule of law, Justice Mohammad Daud Khan was in the forefront of the resistance against him and had to see jail barracks and undergo many other ordeals.

He said Justice Daud had graced the bench for almost three years and mostly remained at the benches but during the short span of time at the principal seat, had proved through his conduct and attitude that he possessed the qualities required for a Judge and justified his elevation to the bench from all aspects.

“He not only decided sufficient number of cases but also heard the parties and their lawyers in a very reasonable manner and attended to every contention raised before him,” he added.

The chief justice said administration of justice was not any easy job and a judge had to undergo many hardships and offer sacrifices in terms of his rest, convenience and especially his social life, for keeping the scale of justice balanced.

He added that it was the job of the bar to assess the work and conduct of a judge.

The ceremony was attended by judges of the high court, district judiciary, office-bearers of PHC Bar Association and Peshawar District Bar Association, members of KP Bar Council, officers of advocate general office and others.

Other speakers highlighted the salient features of the life of Justice Daud saying he did his LLB from Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, in 1981 and was enrolled with the KP Bar Council the same year as advocate of lower courts.

He was subsequently given the licence as advocate of high court in 1983 and that of the Supreme Court in 2008.

He was appointed a judge of the high court on Mar 26, 2013.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2016