LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif on Saturday said that he had personal relations with Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif.
Addressing a farewell ceremony given in his honour by Punjab’s session judges and additional session judges at the library of the Lahore High Court and attended by newly-appointed Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Sharif said, “Relations with the Punjab chief justice played a big role in getting the salaries of the Lahore High Court employees increased.
Now what to say of salary of clerks at the LHC, the salary of a peon and a sweeper is over Rs 22,000. It has helped in ending corruption by the court staff.” Talking about the tussle with lawyers of the Lahore district bar, he said
“I say on oath that I had no hand in the torture on lawyers. By God I came to know about it through TV channels and then I ordered Punjab IG to stop it but remove police from the Aiwan-e-Adl without delay.” He advised sessions judges to avoid clashes if any with the lawyers and try to solve it at the district level, coordinating with the bar and lawyers.
He said in his period as chief justice, a large number of civil judges were recruited including 60 woman civil judges – purely on merit, adding that “not even one of them was my relative or son or daughter of my friends”.
“I wanted only justice to prevail and make access to justice easy across Punjab. This was all I wanted to do since taking charge as the LHC CJ and I am happy today as my conscience is clear am retiring with no burden on my conscience.”
