Judge Bashir wants to quit now

ISLAMABAD: Judge Muhammad Bashir of the Accountability Court is not keen to continue and has again sought leave till his retirement in March this year.

The Accountability Court judge, who has recently sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 14-year imprisonment, was also hearing yet another important NAB corruption reference - 190 million pounds case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Sources said that Judge Bashir has sought leave till his retirement for health reasons. Because of the nature of pressure of work, the Accountability Court judge is experiencing hypertension.

Within a fortnight, he has now applied for leave till retirement for the second time. Last week, he had applied for the leave but on Saturday last he withdrew his application for leave reportedly after the Ministry of Law had turned down his request.

A day before he announced his order in Toshakhana case against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, Judge Bashir had to abruptly leave the courtroom for being unwell. He was treated by the doctors in the Adiala Jail hospital.

On Wednesday, Judge Bashir sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana case but he is still hearing some important NAB references including one against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi for their involvement in a £190m corruption scandal.

He is also hearing another Toshakhana reference involving former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani, as well as former president Asif Ali Zardari as accused. The judge is also presiding over the hearing of a fake account case registered against Zardari and a NAB reference against former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

On January 20, Justice Bashir had applied for medical leave until his retirement on March 14, citing deteriorating health. In the letter sent to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Ministry of Law and Justice, the judge had stated that due to his deteriorating health, he could not perform his duties.

However, the Ministry of Law and Justice did not approve his request. Following the denial, the judge withdrew his application, stating that he was now well and could perform his duties.

On Thursday, Feb 1st - a day after handing down his decision in Toshakhana case, Judge Bashir had again applied for medical leave until his retirement.

Judge Bashir has been in the Accountability Court since 2012. In 2018, he had sentenced Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law Captain (R) Safdar in the Avenfield reference. The IHC overturned the verdict last year on November 29, 2023.

Accountability court judges are generally appointed for three year tenure but Judge Bashir has been serving in the NAB court for eleven years. His tenure has been extended by former prime ministers - Nawaz Sharif in 2018 and Imran Khan in 2021 - both of whom were convicted by the same judge in NAB cases during the judge’s tenure extended by them respectively.