SC judges seek inquiry into allegations against Justice Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: Two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court — Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood — Monday asked Chief Justice (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to summon a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to inquire about the allegations against Justice Sayed Mazahar Ali Naqvi.

The judges called for the SJC meeting in a letter to the CJP after several references were filed against Justice Naqvi, from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) to the Balochistan Bar Council, seeking his removal from office.

The allegations, according to several references filed against the judge, range from corruption, violation of the judicial code of conduct, the Constitution and the law, and managing the court.

In the letter, the senior-most judges said written complaints have been received, including from the PBC, alleging misconduct and financial impropriety by Justice Naqvi.

The letter stated that Article 209 of the Constitution establishes the SJC and it is the duty of the council to inquire into the capacity and misconduct of a judge.

They then told the chief justice that they were waiting for him to convene a meeting of the council to consider the complaints and to ascertain whether there is a substance in the stated allegations.

The letter also mentioned that the council should exonerate the respondent judge and fully restore his honour or else submit our report in terms of the Constitution.

"To leave the respondent judge under a cloud of uncertainty undermines both his and the Judiciary’s repute. Confidence of the people in the integrity and independence of the judiciary requires us to proceed without any further delay."

Apart from that, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had also voiced its concerns against two judges, which included Justice Naqvi, and said that he was "biased against" the party.

The coalition government and the PBC had also sought the removal of the judge from a nine-member bench which heard the suo motu case in February pertaining to the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, after which he recused himself.