PHC CJ Justice Waqar Seth dies of Covid-19

PESHAWAR: Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth died of COVID-19 at a private hospital in Islamabad on Thursday night. He was admitted to the hospital several days back after he tested positive. He lost his battle for life on Thursday.

A resident of Dera IsmailKhan, Waqar Ahmad Seth, 59, was appointed Chief Justice of the PHC in June 2018. "The death of Waqar Ahmad Seth is a huge loss to the country. He was a man of principles, who worked bravely and selflessly throughout his career," said Supreme Court senior lawyer Faheem Wali Advocate.

Waqar Seth started his professional career in December 1985 when he was enrolled as an advocate. He became an advocate of the Supreme Court in 2008. The judicial career of Waqar Seth started on August 2, 2011, when he was elevated to the Peshawar High Court as an additional judge.

He headed a Special Court that heard the high-treason case against former President General (R) Pervez Musharraf last year. On 17 December 2019, the three-member bench of the Special Court awarded death sentence to Pervez Musharraf. Justice Seth’s ruling in the case “We direct the law enforcement agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for 03 days,” raised many an eyebrow in the country.

The government had decided to approach the Supreme Judicial Council against Justice Waqar Seth for his ruling. Justice Seth also headed other benches that gave verdicts in many important cases.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmad, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other senior judges have expressed grief and sorrow over the death of Justice Waqar Seth.

“Saddened to learn of the passing of Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Waqar Ahmed Seth. May his soul rest in peace – Ameen. My condolences & prayers go to his family,” PM wrote in a tweet.

An ISPR statement quoted the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying, “May Allah bless his soul & give strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss, Ameen.” The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and Supreme Court Bar Association announced one-day court mourning on Friday (today) across the country over the sad death of Justice Waqar Ahmed.