LHC posts ATC administrative judge as OSD
The Lahore High Court has made District and Sessions Judge Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan, the administrative judge of an antiterrorism court (ATC) in Lahore, an officer on special duty (OSD)—a posting that removes him from regular court work until a new assignment. The move followed his recent refusal to extend police physical custody of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar, a decision at the centre of current Hammad Azhar remand news in Lahore.
An Oct 28 notification from LHC Registrar Abdur Raheem directed Judge Akram to give up charge by Oct 29. Until he is posted elsewhere, he will remain an OSD at the Lahore district courts and keep the benefits that go with a sessions judge’s post.
What happened in the Hammad Azhar case
On the previous Tuesday, police produced Hammad Azhar before ATC No 4 and asked the court to extend his physical remand in the Jinnah House attack case linked to the May 9 riots. Physical remand means custody with the police for further investigation; judicial remand means the accused is held in jail under the court’s supervision.
Judge Akram rejected the police request and ordered Hammad Azhar sent to jail on judicial remand instead. That ruling is the court order now tied to public attention on the Hammad Azhar case and the judge’s subsequent transfer to OSD status.
How long he served at the ATC
Judge Akram had assumed charge of ATC No 4 on Aug 31 and worked there for about two months before the OSD order. Before the Lahore ATC posting, he served as a banking court judge in Sialkot.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- May 9: Violence that later formed the backdrop of the Jinnah House attack case in which Hammad Azhar faces proceedings.
- Aug 31: Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan took charge of ATC No 4 in Lahore.
- Tuesday before the OSD order: He heard the police request to extend Hammad Azhar’s physical remand and instead sent him to jail on judicial remand.
- Oct 28: The LHC registrar issued a notification making him an OSD and directing him to relinquish charge by Oct 29.
- Oct 29: Deadline given in the notification for him to step down from the ATC charge.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Lahore High Court ne ATC ke judge Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan ko OSD bana diya hai. Is se pehle unhon ne Hammad Azhar ki police remand barhane ki darkhwast manzoor nahi ki thi. Ab woh regular ATC kaam nahi karenge jab tak nayi posting na milay. Aam qari ke liye yeh case aur judge ki posting se related adalati khabar hai, kisi bill ya rate change ki nahi.
