The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reserved its verdict on the petition of former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, challenging his removal from office in 2018.
The court ordered all respondents to submit their replies within three weeks. A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard the case. The bench included Justices Aminuddin Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Irfan Saadat.
President Arif Alvi removed Justice Siddiqui from his position on October 11, 2018. This decision followed the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). The SJC found that Siddiqui’s conduct, particularly during a speech at the Rawalpindi District Bar Association, was unbecoming of a high court judge. In his speech, Siddiqui accused the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of manipulating judicial proceedings without providing evidence for his claims.
Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, former ISI director general, refuted Siddiqui’s allegations. He denied approaching Siddiqui at his residence or seeking guidance to protect the ISI’s prestige. Hameed described the allegations as “absolutely false, concocted, and based on an afterthought.”
Read: Ex-ISI Chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed Refutes Allegations of Judicial Manipulation in Panama Papers Case
Chief Justice Isa noted that all respondents acknowledged the lack of a proper inquiry in the case. Advocate Hamid Khan, representing Siddiqui, argued for the SJC’s decision to be declared unconstitutional. The Chief Justice emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, suggesting the possibility of forming a commission to probe Siddiqui’s allegations. He expressed the court’s intention to find a solution, questioning the veracity of the allegations and the appropriate course of action.
