QUETTA, April 16: Justice Tariq Mehmood of Balochistan High Court on Tuesday resigned from his office in protest against the government pressure. He has submitted his resignation to the president of Pakistan.

When contacted by Dawn at his residence, Justice Tariq confirmed his resignation and said he had no option but to resign.

“I have resigned and now I am a free person from today,” he said, adding: “I cannot sit on a judge’s chair while lying. The government left me with no option,” he remarked.

He further said he had resigned as a member of Election Commission due to reservations over the presidential referendum and “my stand on the matter had also appeared in the press”.

He said: “Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Irshad Hassan Khan while giving reason about my resignation stated that I had been relieved of my responsibilities as member of the Election Commission on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court as I had more work to do in Balochistan”.

He said he was pressured by the government to repudiate the reasons that appeared in the press regarding his resignation, but he refused to change his stand after which he was told that if he did not deny his statement, the Election Commission would issue a statement on the subject.

He further said: “I am a human being who can make mistakes, but there is no justification to hold the office of a judge while telling lies. The government left me with no option but to resign and resign I did, and am free now.”

Justice Tariq Mehmood was appointed judge of the BHC on Sept 6, 2000, and held the office for a period of one year, seven months and nine days.

AFP ADDS: Justice Tariq Mehmood of Balochistan High Court resigned on Tuesday in protest at a referendum scheduled later this month to decide whether Gen Pervez Musharraf should remain as president.

Judge Tariq Mahmood said he had resigned because he believed the April 30 referendum was unconstitutional and he felt he was being pressured into giving it his endorsement.