MUZAFFARABAD: Five newly appointed judges of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court were sworn in on Wednesday, raising the strength of the institution to nine.

AJK High Court Chief Justice M Tabassum Aftab Alvi administered oath to them in the court building at a ceremony attended by a large number of officials and lawyers including minister for law Haji Chaudhry Javed Akhtar.

Those new judges are Raja Raza Ali Khan, who was serving as Advocate General since the inception of the PML-N government in 2016, Muhammad Ejaz Khan Advocate from Rawalakot, Chaudhry Khalid Yousaf Advocate from Mirpur, Raja Sajjad Ahmed Advocate from Dhirkot (Bagh) and Chaudhry Mohammad Munir, an election tribunal judge who was posted as district and sessions judge Mirpur before his elevation.

Their appointment was notified by the AJK government on Monday, a few days after receiving an advice to this effect from the AJK Council.

According to the AJK Interim Constitution Act, 1974, a judge of the High Court is appointed by the AJK President on the advice of the Council and after consultation with the chief justices of AJK supreme and high courts. The council is headed by the prime minister of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2018