The Sindh High Court has directed the authorities concerned to appoint a visually impaired lawyer as civil judge/judicial magistrate.
The two-judge constitutional bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha also said that the petitioner should be appointed on the terms and conditions applicable under the Sindh Judicial Service Rules within four weeks and if no such vacancy existed he be appointed when the next vacancy becomes available.
The lawyer fulfilled all relevant criteria around a decade ago apart from medial certificate, as civil judge/judicial magistrate.
The judge also argued that the petitioner had also filed application for the post of additional district & sessions judge which was accompanied a medical certificate issued by the Services Hospital declaring the petitioner as visually impaired.
The bench in its order noted that the petitioner was a promising practicing lawyer who had aspired to become a civil judge and had also fulfilled all the relevant criteria including the written examinations and interview conducted by the provincial selection board consisting of the senior most judges of SHC and listed on serial No.39 on the merit list out of 78.
He was then sent along with the other successful candidates before the medical board for his medical, but unfortunately the medical board due to his impaired vision found him unfit to join the judicial service, it added.
Thereafter, the bench noted that the petitioner wrote a letter to the then chief justice of SHC setting out the adverse medical finding and requesting for a relaxation in his medical fitness requirement.
