LHC CJ calls meeting to take up Arshad Malik case

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan has convened a meeting of administration committee for Aug 26 to take up the matter of Islamabad accountability court’s former judge Arshad Malik who was suspended over a video leak controversy.

“The administration committee will ponder action to be taken against judge Arshad Malik,” said a statement released to the media by the public relations officer of the high court. The Islamabad High Court, the other day, suspended and repatriated district & sessions judge Arshad Malik to the LHC, the parent department, for disciplinary proceedings. “The disclosure and admission made by Mr Muhammad Arshad Malik, district & sessions judge/former judge accountability court-II Islamabad in a press release dated July 7, 2019 and the affidavit dated July 11, 2019, prima facie, constitute acts of misconduct and violation of the code of conduct, which warrant initiation of disciplinary proceedings against him,” said a Thursday notification issued by the IHC acting registrar.

It is to mention that the Supreme Court hearing petitions related to the video leak had on Tuesday termed the conduct of judge Malik “shameful” and asked why the law ministry had not transferred him back to the LHC. The apex court had observed that it appeared that the law ministry was giving refuge to the controversial judge.