PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim said here on Wednesday that there were several unique obligations attached with the office of a judge including impartiality, independence, dignity and propriety etc.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of pre-service training for newly-inducted civil judges-cum-judicial magistrates/ilaqa qazis at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy.

Chairing the ceremony of the five-week training, PHC Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, who is also chairman of the academy, congratulated the participants on their appointment and said that it was not an ordinary position.

He highlighted the fragile nature of the noble profession, saying that office of a judge came with a unique set of obligations and values.

Elaborating the significance of training, he said that pre-service training was an essential requirement for the participants, which would enable them to perform efficiently and effectually.

Highlighting the effect of conduct of judges/qazis, he made special reference to judicial ethics and placed great emphasis on the study of “Adab-ul-Qazi” written by Dr Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi.

The ceremony was also attended by senior judge Justice Ijaz Anwar, registrar of Peshawar High Court Barrister Ikhtiar Khan, the director general of KP Judicial Academy, Jehanzeb Shinwari, and directors of academy.

Jehanzeb Shinwari said that the tier of civil judges was like a nucleus of district judiciary. He added that judges should have the law at their fingertips.

As a Judicial officer, he said, they must possess a deep understanding of both substantive and procedural laws, enabling them to deliver expeditious and effective justice to the litigant public.

He said that to equip the participants to meet the challenges and demands of their new assignment, the academy had designed the training programme to sensitise them about their new responsibilities, inculcate ethical values and standards and enhance their professional skills and knowledge.

The ceremony ended with formal visit of the trainees to various wings of the academy to familiarise themselves with their training environment.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2024