Justice Asif Saeed Khosa gives first verdict as CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Friday turned down a drug peddler’s plea while presiding over his first case as the chief justice, reported ARY News.

In a petition submitted in the Supreme Court, convicted drug peddler Noor Muhammad, a resident of Mianwali, had pleaded to the court to reduce his sentence.

Muhammad was arrested with 2100 grams of hashish and the trial court had awarded him four years sentence for the crime. This decision was retained by the high court also.

The SC bench ruled that the witnesses in the case are government officials who bear no grudge against the convict. “Chemical laboratory has also confirmed the samples.”

Earlier on Jan 18, CJP Khosa was sworn in as the top judge of Pakistan replacing Chief Justice (retd) Mian Saqib Nisar who retired yesterday.

He took oath as the 26th Chief Justice of Pakistan in a ceremony held at President House in Islamabad on Friday.

President Dr Arif Alvi administered oath to the new chief justice of the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, federal ministers, sitting and former judges of the Supreme Court apart from foreign dignitaries attended the ceremony.

Justice Khosa, 64, will serve as the chief justice of the country till December 20 this year.