Judge Muhammad Bashir who sentenced Imran Khan to prison has been made OSD.
The Ministry of Law and Justice took decisive action on Tuesday, announcing the designation of Judge Muhammad Bashir as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and the appointment of District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana to succeed him at Islamabad Accountability Court-I.
The transition comes ahead of Judge Bashir’s impending retirement on March 14.
In an official notification issued on Monday, the Ministry disclosed that Nasir Javed Rana has been appointed as a judge of the accountability court with a term extending until January 24, 2027.
The developments follow a series of events surrounding Judge Bashir’s health and his judicial proceedings.
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On January 20, the judge submitted a request for medical leave until his retirement, citing a deterioration in his health condition.
However, the Ministry declined this request. Subsequently, on January 27, Judge Bashir withdrew his leave application, affirming his readiness to resume duties.
Judge Bashir’s tenure has been marked by significant legal proceedings, notably involving high-profile cases such as National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse for their alleged involvement in a £190m scandal.
Additionally, he has been presiding over cases involving other prominent political figures, including former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gillani, as well as former President Asif Ali Zardari.
Notably, Judge Bashir garnered attention for his role in convicting two former prime ministers in corruption cases, a distinction possibly unique within the country’s judiciary.
His recent sentencing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse to 14 years in prison for misusing the state’s gift repository during Imran Khan’s tenure further added to the significance of his judicial decisions.
Despite serving an extended tenure since his appointment in 2012 during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Gilani, Judge Bashir’s judicial career saw successive appointments under different administrations, including those of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2018 and Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2021.
