Lahore - Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan took oath as the 48th chief justice of the Lahore High Court during a ceremony held at the Governor’s House on Tuesday.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar administered oath to the new chief justice. Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat, Minister for Irrigation Mohsin Leghari, Lahore High Court judges, Pakistan Bar Council vice chairman as well as the presidents and office-bearers of LHC Bar Association and Lahore Bar Association were also present.

Justice Shamim replaced outgoing chief justice Anwaarul Haq, who had become the LHC chief justice in October, and retired from his the position last Monday, just two months into the job. In addtion, Additional Registrar (courts) Jamil Baloch has been appointed as secretary to Chief Justice Sardar Shamim Khan. Senior Private Assistant M Shafiqur Rehman has been named as secretary I while Senior Private Assistant Naeem Sadiq has been appointed as private secretary II in the Chief Justice’s office. After assuming the charge, the chief justice replaced LHC Registrar M Shakeel with District and Sessions Judge Chakwal Hamyon Imtiaz as new LHC registrar. He also issued orders to transfer 11 judges of district judiciary.

Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had recommended Justice Sardar Shamim as the new chief justice of Lahore High Court. On December 6 the chief justice had summoned a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to mull over the appointment of new LHC chief.

Justice Muhammad Anwarul Haq on Monday retired as the Lahore High Court chief justice after serving as head of the provincial high court for nine weeks.

A reference was held for him by the CJ-designate Sardar Muhammad Shamim, other judges and  senior lawyers to eulogise his services and the reforms he introduced during his brief stint.

The speakers recalled that it was during Justice Anwarul Haq’s tenure that foundation stone was laid for a 10-storey admin block. Similarly, a communication has been sent to the relevant authorities for the construction of 40 courtrooms. They recalled that credit for establishment of evening courts, arrangements for decision of cases filed by the disabled people, speedy issuance of inheritance certificates and provision of attested copies of decisions within a couple of days would go to the outgoing CJ.

Justice Anwarul Haq was presented a bouquet and given a befitting send off.