Justice Qaiser takes oath as PHC acting CJ

PESHAWAR: Senior judge, Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan, on Monday took oath of office as Acting Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) after the demise of Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth.

KP Governor Shah Farman administered the oath to the acting chief justice. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, cabinet ministers and others attended the ceremony. Justice Qaiser Rashid was appointed acting Chief Justice of the PHC on Friday. A notification stated that he would be acting head of the PHC till the appointment of a regular chief Justice by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan. Belonging to Thana village in Malakand, Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan was elevated as judge of the PHC in August 2011. He started his career as lawyer in 1984.

The office of CJ PHC fell vacant after the demise of Waqar Ahmad Seth who died of Covid-19 on Thursday. Lawyers observed Monday as the last day of mourning across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to express grief at the death of Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth. It had been decided that Monday would be considered as the third day of mourning. Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth died of Covid-19 at a private hospital in Islamabad on Thursday.