Judicial colloquium to address climate issue

LAHORE: The two-day Asia Pacific Judicial Colloquium on climate justice held by the Lahore High Court concluded with an effective resolution and road map to deal with the threat of climate change in the region here on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court and the Lahore High Court judges, foreign delegates, including environment and climate change experts, lawyers and activists took part in the conference. The participants unanimously said that Green Benches Judges were shouldering important responsibilities and they would have to see climate changes minutely. Addressing the conference, the experts said the conference was a good helping hand in understanding climate issues in Asian countries. Clean environment was one of the basic rights of every citizen and courts were bound to ensure these provisions of basic rights to citizens while deciding environmental issues on priority basis, they said. They said environment was a common issue and they would have to deal with it as a global family. Training of judges and lawyers in this respect was required in which Punjab Judicial Academy could play a decisive role.

The participants appreciated the successful launching of the conference in Lahore. Giving concluding remarks, Justice Muhammad Farrukh Irfan Khan thanked all the participants, including local and foreign experts on the behalf of the LHC Chief Justice and said very valuable discussions were held in the conference which enabled the participants to understand issues related to climate change. He said that successful holding of the conference by the Lahore High Court was reflection of the fact that every person sitting here was serious about climate justice.

Former SC Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, SC Judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, LHC Judges Ayesha A Malik, Ali Baqir Najfi and Jawad Hassan, Asian Development Bank senior representative Irum Hassan, Advocates Rafay Alam, Muhammad Ahmad Pansota, Saima Ameen Khawaja and other experts addressed the conference. Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, John Knox of UNO, former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of UK Lord Carn Wath of Notinghill, Judges of Bhutan, Malaysia, China, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka & Nepal, Chief Judge of Land & Env. Court of Australia, Justice Brian Preston, UNO Rep. Elizabeth Mariama, Rep. of ADB Suneil Mitra, Prof James Arma, representatives of WWF, Environment Lawyer Antinio Aposa and other experts hailing from around 40 countries also attended.

It would not be out of place to mention that foreign guests also visited the Lahore High Court where Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali apprised them of historical value of the building. Foreign guests also visited the LHC museum.

Transfers: The Punjab government on Tuesday issued a notification regarding promotion, transfer and posting of nine officers.

Superintendent Muhammad Sadique has been promoted to BS-17 on regular basis and posted as section officer (SO), Aquaf Department. Daraya Khan Assistant Commissioner (AC) Umar Farooq has been transferred and posted as AC (HR Coordiation) Bhakkar, Punjab Governor Secretariat SO as Rawalpindi district monitoring officer (DMO), Anti-Corruption RY Khan Assistant Director Investigation Syed Ayub Bukhari as SO, Punjab Governor Secretariat, Kalar Kahar AC Abdul Majid as AC (HR Coordination) Rawalpindi, School Education SO Muhammad Talha Saeed as Kalar Kahar AC and Forests SO Mobeen Ehsan as School Edcuation SO.

Meanwhile, the services of Mohsin Nasir, awaiting posting, have been placed at the disposal of Multan commissioner for further posting. Muhammad Sifatullah, awaiting posting, has been posted as AC (HR Coordination) Layyah.