CURRENT BENCH

His Lordship Mr. Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja, born on 9th June, 1963 in village Khairabad, Tehsil and District Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir. He got his early education from High School located in his native vicinity. He passed his Matriculation and Intermediate examinations from the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Mirpur AJ&K in the year 1978 and 1981 respectively. He passed his Bachelor Degree from the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir in 1985 and got LL.B. Degree from University of Punjab, Lahore in 1988.
He was enrolled as pleader on 28.6.1988 and established legal practice in the District Courts. His lordship has also taken part in politics and policymaking of Bar Association and remained General Secretary of Central Bar Association in the year 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1997. His Lordship was elected as President of Central Bar Association in the year 2003, 2004 and 2007 respectively. His Lordship was remained Vice Chairman of Bar Council of Azad Jammu & Kashmir in the year 2013.
He was enrolled as Advocate of High Court on 17.9.2001 and enrolled as Advocate of Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on 10.8.2006. He practiced Law generally at Muzaffarabad AJ&K in all courts from the court of Civil Judge/Magistrate to the Apex Courts, besides Revenue courts and tribunals.

His Lordship was elevated to the Bench of Hon'ble High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 25th March, 2016. His Lordship was appointed twice as Acting Chief Justice High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on 17th April, 2021 and 10th May, 2021 and took oath as Acting Chie Justice on 19th April, 2021 and 11th May, 2021 respectively. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sadaqat Hussain Raja was appointed as Chief Justice High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 25th May, 2021 and His Lordship administered Oath as Chief Justice, High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on 26th May, 2021.

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Mr. Justice Sardar Liaqat Hussain was born on 9th November, 1965 in Tehsil Mong (Jassa Peer Kanchri) Pallandri Azad Jammu & Kashmir. His Lordship acquired early education in his native town and completed Matriculation in 1981 from Govt. Inter College/School Mong, and Intermediate Certification from the same Institute in 1983. Being efficient and actively participating student in debate competitions, His Lordship stood recognition in All AJ&K Urdu debate competition in the era of School and became the President of College Student Union as well at College Level.
Afterwards, received Degree of Bachelors from University of Karachi in October, 1986. His Lordship secured professional Degree of LLB in 1988 from University of Karachi. Meanwhile studying at University Level, became the President of Kashmir Student Affairs community.
After getting the professional education and acquaintance, His Lordship was enrolled as a Lawyer and started practice in Civil Court Thorar of District Poonch in year 1994. After successfully passing the exam of AJ&K Public Service Commission in year 1998 was appointed as Civil Judge and got his first posting at District Haveli Kahuta on 24th February, 1998.
During his flawless tenure of service, His Lordship also served as Registrar of High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir from 20th February, 2016 to 11th March, 2019. Afterwards, became Chairman Inland Land Revenue Azad Jammu Kashmir on 19th March, 2019.
His lordship took oath as Judge of High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 8th January, 2022. He is also nominated as the “Chairman AJ&K Press Foundation” by Hon’ble Chief Justice of High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 24th February, 2022.

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Born on May 12, 1966 in village Dawarian, District Muzaffarabad (now District Neelum since May 14, 2005) , Justice Syed Shahid Bahar is the son of the late Syed Baha-ud-Din Bahar, a renowned educationist who was all the rage among the rank and file of Neelum Valley for his conspicuous contributions in the field of education. Justice Syed Shahid Bahar’s mother, Jahandeeda Bahar holds the distinction of being first ever female teacher from Neelum Valley.
Justice Bahar matriculated from Government Baha-ud-Din Bahar Boys Higher Secondary School Dawarian(school was named on his father for acknowledging the services of the latter in the arena of education), did his intermediate from Degree College Athmuqam, graduated from the University of AJ&K, Muzaffarabad and obtained the degree of Legum Baccalaureus (LLB) from the University of Punjab, Lahore.
Justice Bahar got enrolled as an Advocate in Lower Courts of the AJ&K on 25.07.1990, as an Advocate of the AJ&K High Court on 04.11.1997 and on 16.05.2002, as an Advocate of the Apex Court of AJ&K. Justice Bahar got elected as a Member of the AJ&K Bar Council(highest elected body of lawyers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir) twice from 2002-2007 and 2012-2017 besides Chairman of its Executive Committee, Anti-Corruption Committee and Kashmir Committee; in addition to that, President of the AJ&K Supreme Court Bar Association for a while.
Justice Bahar got elected as the President of the Central Bar Association, Muzaffarabad in the year 2010. He tendered his services as a visiting Lecturer of the following subjects namely Criminal Law, Interpretation of Statutes and Law of Writs in the Department of Law, University of AJ&K. He remained Legal Advisor of AJ&K Government for various departments i.e. Electricity, Public Works Department (PWD) and Development Authority Muzaffarabad(DAM).
On banking side, he provided his legal expertise to the National Bank of Pakistan(NBP), Bank of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (BoAJ&K), Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) and Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan (IDBP). In the year 2016, Justice Bahar became Chief Prosecutor of the Ehtesab Bureau of AJ&K and served there for a brief stint. Being an Advocate, his plethora of cases are reported in various Law Journals including All Pakistan Legal Decisions(PLD), Pakistan Law Journal(PLJ), Pakistan Labour Cases[PLC(C.S.)], Civi Law Cases(CLC), Monthly Law Digest(MLD), Pakistan Criminal Law Journal(PCr.LJ), Yearly Law Reporter(YLR), Supreme Court Recorder(SCR) etc. The Honorable Judge took oath of his office on January 8, 2022.
Being a Judge, he has rendered numerous landmark judgments impacting the lives of rank and file to a marked degree. For instance in Ghosia Riaz v. Joint Admission Committee for Admission in Medical Colleges of AJ&K [PLD 2022 High Court (AJ&K) 25], Justice Bahar abhorred the usage of words in various enactments like disabled, crippled etc for special persons and held that such pejorative terms must be substituted with “differently abled persons” or “persons having different abilities”.
In Muhammad Ayyan Ali Raja v. AJ&K Legislative Assembly through its Secretary [PLD 2023 High Court (AJK) 55] barrier of the age of 25 years for contesting local bodies elections was done away with; resulting entry of younger generation at local bodies level.

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His Lordship Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sardar Muhammad Ejaz was born on 29th July, 1968 in the famous and scenic valley of Banjosa of district Poonch. After completion of matriculation from the Government High School Banjosa, he did his intermediate from Captain Hussain Khan Shaheed College Rawalakot. He graduated from the University of Karachi and he obtained LLB degree from Islamia University Bahawalpur.
He joined the legal profession in the year 1995. He was enrolled as an advocate of High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the year 1998 and as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on 8th May, 2011. He remained Judge of the High Court of AJK for more than 2 years. He also remained member of the Bar Council of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and was elected as President and General Secretary Bar Association of Rawalakot (Poonch).
His Lordship was elevated to the Bench of Hon'ble High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir twice. Firstly, on 23rd May, 2018 and subsequently on 8th January, 2022.

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His lordship Hon’ble Mr. Justice Chaudhry Khalid Rasheed was born on 14th March, 1970, in Mirpur. He got his initial education from Presentation Convent High School Jhelum. He was also awarded Gold Medal in graduation by AJ&K University. He accomplished his BA LLB degree from Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.
He got the license of pleadership in May 1995 and was License holder of AJ&K High Court from June 1998. He also got the license of Lahore High Court in the year 2002 & License of Supreme Court AJ&K in April 2004. He is a life time member of Islamabad Bar Association since 2002. He remained public prosecutor Mirpur from 1996 to 1999. He was elected as a member of AJ&K bar council in the year 2002 and also worked as chairman Executive of AJ&K Bar council in the year 2006. He was elected as President of the District-bar Association Mirpur in the year 2014.
He has vast experience of conducting Criminal, Civil, Revenue and Constitutional cases. He is also carrying well experience of conducting cases in High Court and Lower Judiciary of Islamabad.
His lordship took oath as Hon’ble Judge of High Court of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 8th Jan, 2022.

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