CJP summons SJC today to examine complaints against Justice Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa has convened a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Thursday (today) to examine various complaints of misconduct filed against Justice Syed Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi.

Being the SJC chairman, the chief justice will conduct the proceedings. It is pertinent to mention that various complaints of misconduct had been filed by lawyers as well as the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) against Justice Naqvi who had also challenged the complaints in the Supreme Court.

Later on, Justice Naqvi tendered his resignation to President Dr Arif Alvi which was accepted. Likewise, the federal government had also challenged in the Supreme Court its judgment delivered in 2023 in Afia Sheharbano Zia’s case, holding that the judges who retire or resign do not fall within the ambit of Article 209 of the Constitution that determines misconduct of judges of the superior courts.

The federation through secretary law and justice had filed with the apex court an intra-court appeal (ICA) under Section 5 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 read with Article 184(3) of the Constitution against the judgment dated June 27, 2023 delivered in Afia Sheharbano’s case.

The federal government had prayed the apex court to set aside the impugned judgment after allowing the instant ICA. It was also prayed to hold that a judge against whom proceedings were initiated under Article 209 of the Constitution ought to be proceeded against and his resignation would not result in abatement of such proceedings.