No pomp and show for Justice Dost Muhammad

ISLAMABAD: Without the Full Court Reference, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan of the Supreme Court on Monday got retired and went home after holding a photo session with the Chief Justice and the fellow judges.

Justice Dost Muhammad Khan laid his robes on March 19 after an immaculate career, stretching over more than four decades of legal and judicial services in the constitutional courts of the country.

Hailing from Bannu, Khyber Pakhutunkhwa, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan had declined to attend the reception of the Supreme Court as well as of bar associations on the eve of his retirement. It was learnt that Justice Dost Muhammad Khan had also declined to attend the Full Court Reference in his honour as well as addressing on the occasion.

On Monday, however, as per sources, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan on the request of his fellow judges held a photo session with the judges and the Chief Justice of Pakistan and then went home. As the media was not invited to the said function; hence, the venue of the occasion was not known.

Later, in the evening, a statement was issued by the Supreme Court, stating that Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and other judges bade farewell to Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, on his retirement in a ceremony here at the Supreme Court. They lauded the professional and legal acumen of the judge and praised his lordship's devotion and dedication to the cause of justice. They also paid deepest regards to the judge and prayed for his long, healthy, prosperous and productive life after his retirement as judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

As per precedents of the country’s highest court, a Full Court Reference is organised on the eve of retirement of a judge wherein apart from all the 17 judges of the court, the Attorney General of Pakistan as well as the representatives of the bar associations also attend the reference to pay homage to the outgoing judge. The same day a reception is hosted by the Chief Justice of Pakistan in the honour of the retiring judge which is attended by all the judges of the apex court as well as the legal fraternity, including office bearers of bar associations.

According to the Supreme Court Bar Association secretary, the Registrar's Office of the Supreme Court had intimated that Justice Dost Muhammad Khan would retire on March 19, 2018. It was, however, also intimated by the Registrar's Office that Justice Muhammad Khan has "declined with thanks" his inability to attend any reception either from the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) or the Pakistan Bar Council on the eve of his retirement, due to his personal family engagements. No further reasons were mentioned by the Registrar's Office as to why Justice Dost Muhammad Khan had declined to attend the functions.