ABBOTTABAD: Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Mian Fasihul Mulk said on Friday that recruitment of civil judges in the province would be started soon to fill vacant seats in the lower judiciary.

He said that 53 kanals had been acquired for the judicial complex at Havelian and funds would be made available for the construction of the complex. Regarding completion of the PHC Abbottabad circuit building, he said that case against the contractor for faulty construction was under process with the National Accountability Bureau and the new contract had been awarded forcompleting the construction before Oct 14, 2014.

The chief justice was addressing a reception arranged for him by PHC Bar Association Abbottabad circuit bench. Justice Fasihul Mulk will retire on April 7.

Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, who has been nominated as the new PHC chief justice, also attended the reception along with judges of Abbottabad circuit bench Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth and Justice Mrs Irshad Qaiser. Officials of lower judiciary from Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan and other areas were also present on the occasion.The chief justice asked the young lawyers to follow in the footsteps of their elders who were icons of this noble profession as Hazara Bar had produced a number of stalwarts who were known for their integrity and professional skill.

He paid tribute to the lawyers for their role in restoration of judiciary and said that nobody could suppress the voice of masses. Justice Miankhel advised the lawyers to use the profession not as a source of earning money, but to render service to the humanity through justice as aggrieved people had no other forum, but the lawyers who could become their voice against repression. -Correspondent