ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has convened a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) scheduled for November 20 to review complaints filed against judges in the apex court.
This decision by the chief justice follows the reception of complaints against Justices Sayyed Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi and Sardar Tariq Masood.
During the meeting, CJP Isa is anticipated to evaluate the filed complaints. Simultaneously, the SJC is expected to address objections raised by the aforementioned apex court judges concerning the involvement of Chief Justice Isa himself and Justice Naeem Afghan in reviewing the complaints against them.
Justice Naqvi recently responded to a show cause notice from the SJC and expressed objections about the participation of three members of the commission—CJP Isa, Justice Masood, and Justice Naeem Afghan—requesting their recusal citing “bias” and other grounds.
In an 18-page document, Justice Naqvi asserted, “Their involvement in the proceedings that led to a show cause notice against me taints those proceedings with bias and renders all orders passed therein without lawful authority and of no legal effect.”
Justice Naqvi raised concerns about CJP Isa and Justice Afghan being the chairman and a member, respectively, of the inquiry commission investigating the audio leaks case against him, arguing their participation in SJC proceedings against him would be inappropriate.
He further contended that Justice Masood, having expressed an opinion on the complaints against him, should be disqualified from participating in SJC proceedings against him. Justice Naqvi highlighted that Justice Masood’s delayed opinion coincided with the change in the SJC’s composition under former CJP Umar Ata Bandial and stressed that Justice Masood himself faces a complaint before the SJC.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
