Accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir seeks leave until retirement

• Judge seeks leave from January 24 to March 14 in letter.
• His letter addresses IHC, Ministry of Law and Justice.
• Judge "unable to perform his duties due to ill health".

Muhammad Bashir, a judge at the accountability court, has applied for sick leave until his retirement citing health reasons, sources told Geo News on Saturday.

The judge's retirement, according to the sources, is scheduled to take place on March 14, 2024; however, he has written a letter to the Islamabad High Court and the Ministry of Law and Justice requesting both authorities to grant him leave until the end of the tenure.

The sources added that Judge Muhammad Bashir has requested leave from January 24 to March 14 in his letter, received by both the court and the ministry.

The judge stated that he is unable to perform his duties due to his physical condition; therefore, requesting that a leave be granted to him until retirement.

It should be noted that Judge Muhammad Bashir of the accountability court had earlier sentenced former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and party's Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain Safdar in multiple cases including the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.

Meanwhile, he also sentenced the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.

Separately, the judge also heard the Toshakhana case against former president Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Yusuf Raza Gilani, while Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the LNG reference against former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the Sahiwal Rental Power Reference.

Judge Muhammad Bashir continued to appear at the court for these cases.