Judge Bashir’s successor appointed

ISLAMABAD: The federal government Monday appointed District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana as the Accountability Court No. 1 judge on deputation for three years.

The Ministry of Law and Justice notified his appointment. He will continue to serve till January 23, 2027.

His predecessor Muhammad Bashir had sought leave for the second time until his retirement in March soon after sentencing the PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.

He first applied for leave on January 20 but withdrew his application after the law ministry turned down his request. Sources said he was facing hypertension due to the work pressure.

Judge Bashir was also hearing the Toshakhana reference against former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani along with former president Asif Ali Zardari. The judge also presided over the hearing of a fake account case registered against Zardari and a NAB reference against former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. It is pertinent to note that Nasir Javed Rana had recently delivered the verdict in Sara Inam murder case.