A member of a two-judge bench at the Lahore High Court has recused himself from hearing an appeal filed by Hassaan Niazi against his trial in a military court.
Justice Javad Zafar stepped aside from the case, leaving the hearing to a bench comprising himself and Justice Shehram Sarwar. Hassaan Niazi had approached the court challenging his military court trial.
This is not the first time superior court judges have recused themselves from the case.
In December 2025, a Lahore High Court two-judge bench, including Justice Sultan Tanvir Ahmad and Justice Malik Awais Khalid, stepped aside, noting that Justice Ahmad had already heard the appeal as a single bench and it would not be appropriate to rehear it. The appeal was sent to the Chief Justice to be fixed before another appropriate bench.
Earlier, on November 6, a bench comprising Justice Farooq Haider and Justice Tariq Nadeem had also refused to hear Niazi’s appeal.
The appeal argues that following his arrest in the May 9 case, Niazi was not presented before a civilian court; instead, Sarwar Road police handed him over to military custody without a judicial order.
Niazi was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in December 2023 in the Jinnah House attack case.
