Islamabad: The Supreme Court said a judge’s integrity must remain above suspicion, ruling that a judicial officer must maintain unblemished character, exemplary conduct and public trust.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed issued the detailed judgment in the dismissal case of former Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Zahid, who was posted in Mailsi, Punjab.
The bench also included Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui. Justice Waheed authored the nine-page judgment after hearing appeals on May 13, 2026.
The court held that the standard for a judge was not mere innocence but being above suspicion. It said judicial integrity “is either complete or non-existent.”
The judgment said the judiciary draws strength from public credibility and moral authority, not force. It added that a judge with damaged credibility cannot remain in office without harming public trust.
The court said corruption did not need to be proven directly in every case. It held that a bad reputation alone could damage the dignity of the judiciary.
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The judgment also criticised compulsory retirement with benefits for a judge with a bad reputation. It said such relief could create the impression that judicial integrity was negotiable.
The court cited the Quran, Hadith and Islamic jurists while stressing that the office of judge is a sacred trust. It said knowledge, piety and integrity remain essential for judicial office.
Multiple complaints had been received against Zahid over corruption allegations. Lahore High Court supervision reports later found his reputation tainted, though a departmental inquiry did not directly prove corruption.
The competent authority dismissed Zahid from service over his poor reputation and questionable integrity. The Service Tribunal later converted the dismissal into compulsory retirement, prompting appeals by the Lahore High Court registrar and Zahid.
