ISLAMABAD: Former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Sardar Mohammad Aslam, who was the first chief justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC), died on Saturday.

Justice Aslam had tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Military Hospital in Rawalpindi. However, family sources claimed that he died of a cardiac arrest.

Justice Aslam, who was an eminent lawyer, remained a judge of Lahore High Court (LHC).

After the IHC was initially established in late 2007, he was elevated as the first chief justice of the newly-established court.

In 2009, he was elevated to the Supreme Court. However, he along with over 100 judges were removed pursuant to the Supreme Court verdict that declared Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) void ab initio and sent all judges home who had taken oath under the PCO promulgated by the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

Justice Aslam, a resident of Kahuta in Rawalpindi, was well respected and very popular among lawyers.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah expressed condolence over the demise of Justice Aslam.

Judges of the superior and subordinate judiciary of Rawalpindi and Islamabad attended his funeral. Hundreds of people were also present.

Those who attended the funeral included members Pakistan Bar Council Azam Nazir Tarrar, Ahsan Bhoon, Shuaib Shaheen, Islamabad Bar Council’s Sajjad Afzal Cheema, Haroon Rashid, Qazi Rafiuddin Babar, Javed Saleem Shorish, Supreme Court Bar Association president Qalbe Hassan, IHC bar president Chaudhry Haseeb, senior lawyers Raja Inam Ameen Minhas, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Raja Aleem Abbasi, Riasat Ali Azad also attended the funeral.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2020