Govt’s plea in Ayubi case to be taken after CJ’s return, LHC registrar

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court (LHC) is yet to respond to a Punjab government’s request to nominate any of its judges for a one-man tribunal to hold a judicial inquiry into death of suspected ATM thief Salahuddin Ayubi in police custody.

The home department had on September 5 written a letter to the LHC requesting that a judicial officer be appointed as one-man tribunal to hold judicial inquiry under section 3&5(5) of Punjab Tribunal of Inquiry Ordinance 1969 for ascertaining facts and circumstances of the custodial death of Ayubi and to suggest measures to prevent any such incident in future.

However, the Lahore High Court had not entertained that request since a senior civil judge had already started judicial inquiry into the matter. Later, the department sent another letter to the LHC registrar on September 11 with a little amendment and sought nomination of a judge of the high court to hold the judicial inquiry and to suggest measures to prevent any such incidents in future.

Registrar Abdul Sattar told media on Monday that decision on the subsequent request of the government would be taken after the return of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan from an official foreign visit.

The chief justice would join the high court on Tuesday (today). To a query about action against video-leak judge Arshad Malik, the registrar said an inquiry by a sitting judge of the LHC on the matter was in progress as directed by administration committee. He said the matter would be sent to the competent authority after the inquiry judge submitted his report.

The LHC had on September 14 made Justice Arshad Malik an OSD (Officer on Special Duty) from the date of his suspension. Islamabad High Court had suspended him and repatriated to the LHC on August 22, 2019.