Lahore ATC Judge OSD After Azhar Remand Row

The Lahore High Court has made Lahore ATC judge Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan an officer on special duty (OSD). The move came days after the judge refused a police request to extend the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar.

Judge Akram, a district and sessions judge, served as administrative judge of the antiterrorism court. A notification issued by Lahore High Court Registrar Abdur Raheem on October 28 directed him to relinquish his charge by October 29. The judge will now remain an OSD at the Lahore district courts until his next assignment. He will continue to receive the benefits attached to the post of a sessions judge.

The timing of the transfer has drawn attention because it followed a high-profile remand hearing in the Jinnah House attack case. The court has not linked the two events, and no reason was stated in the notification.

The Lahore ATC judge transfer

The October 28 notification ordered Judge Akram to hand over charge of his court by October 29. As an OSD, he holds no court assignment for now. He stays posted at the Lahore district courts while the high court decides his next posting.

In the judicial service, an OSD posting is an administrative arrangement. The officer keeps his rank and pay benefits but does not hear cases until a fresh assignment is issued. Transfers of this kind are made by the high court, which controls postings of district judiciary officers in Punjab.

The remand hearing

Judge Akram had taken charge of ATC No 4 in Lahore on August 31. He served in that court for around two months before the transfer.

On Tuesday, October 27, police presented Hammad Azhar before his court. Police asked the court to extend Azhar’s physical remand in the Jinnah House attack case, which relates to the May 9 riots. The judge turned down the request and sent Azhar to jail on judicial remand instead.

The distinction matters in criminal cases. Physical remand hands the accused back to police for further investigation, while judicial remand sends the accused to jail. Courts refuse physical remand when police do not show sufficient grounds for further custody.

Background: the Jinnah House case

The Jinnah House attack case is one of the cases registered after the May 9, 2023 riots, when protesters attacked military installations, including the corps commander’s residence in Lahore, known as Jinnah House. Several PTI leaders face cases linked to those events, and the antiterrorism courts in Lahore have been hearing them in batches.

Azhar, a former federal minister and senior PTI leader, has faced multiple cases since the May 9 events. His appearances before the antiterrorism courts have been closely watched, and orders on remand in such cases often set the tone for the next stage of proceedings.

Before his posting to the Lahore ATC, Judge Akram served as a banking court judge in Sialkot.

What happens next

The high court has not yet announced Judge Akram’s next assignment. The cases pending before ATC No 4 will move to whichever judge takes charge of the court. For the accused in those cases, including Azhar, the change of judge does not alter the record of proceedings so far. Hearings will continue from the stage they have reached. Related court developments this month include the dismissal of pre-arrest bail pleas of Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders, the ATC order on jail access for Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, the jail-trial notification in the same case, and the FCC order dismissing a plea to suspend Bushra Bibi’s sentence.

Frequently asked questions

What does OSD mean for a judge?

OSD stands for officer on special duty. It is an administrative posting in which the officer keeps his rank and benefits but holds no court assignment until the high court issues a new posting order.

Why was Judge Akram transferred?

The Lahore High Court notification did not state a reason. It followed his refusal to extend Hammad Azhar’s physical remand, but the court has not linked the transfer to that order.

What is the difference between physical and judicial remand?

Physical remand places the accused in police custody for further investigation. Judicial remand sends the accused to jail while the case proceeds. Courts grant physical remand only when police show a need for further custody.

Who is Hammad Azhar?

Hammad Azhar is a senior PTI leader and former federal minister. He faces cases linked to the May 9, 2023 riots, including the Jinnah House attack case in Lahore.

*Source: Dawn, October 30, 2026. Further detail: Dawn’s report on the transfer.*