SJC records four more witnesses against Mazahar Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) Friday recorded the statements of four more witnesses against the Supreme Court’s former judge Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and held that no findings would be given on the matter till the disposal of an intra-court appeal pending with a bench against the apex court judgment, preventing any proceedings against the judges who’d either resigned or retired.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa being the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), conducted the proceedings on the misconduct complaints filed by lawyers as well as the Pakistan Bar Council against the judge.

Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, Chief Justice Lahore High Court; and Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan are the other Council members. The Council decided not to summon the sons of Justice Naqvi as witnesses and directed the attorney general to withdraw the notices.

Justice Naqvi was not represented to cross-examine the witnesses on which the Council observed that the ex-judge himself could cross-examine or answer the statements of witnesses if he wished.

Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan submitted the statement of witness Warda Naqvi about Gulberg 3 Lahore property on which the Council declared that Warda Naqvi would be summoned, if needed.

“We are conducting this process on the tax money; two judges came from other provinces to participate in the proceedings,” the chief justice said, adding that they were also fully aware of the fact that this matter was pending with the apex court benches but the court had not stayed the Council’s proceedings.

“Had this matter not been taken up then, they could have faced criticism as to why it was not concluded,” the chief justice remarked adding that there were complaints against some other judges which would be held in-camera adding that the present proceeding was being held in the open court on the request made earlier.

Earlier, when the Council resumed the proceedings, private witness Muhammad Safdar Khan while recoding his statement on oath submitted that he purchased two kanals and four marla property of Gulberg 3 Lahore from Justice Naqvi for Rs13 crore in June 2022.

He told the Council that the amount was paid in the form of cash of Rs3 crore and two pay orders of Rs5 crore each.

When inquired, he said apart from the cash, a pay order of five crore rupees was made in the name of Justice Naqvi, while the remaining five crore pay order was issued in the name of Chaudhry Shehbaz.

The attorney general told the Council that Justice Naqvi had bought the said property on June 30, 2021 for Rs7 crore and twenty lakh and after six months, he sold it at Rs13 crore.

Director General Federal Government Employees Authority Captain (retired) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal also appeared as a witness and presented the details of three properties allotted to Justice Naqvi by the Authority.

Zonal Administrator Evacuee Trust Property Board Lahore Ruman Jalal and Deputy Administrator Muhammad Asif Ijaz also told the Council on oath that Syed Tasadeq Mustafa Naqvi, son of Justice Naqvi, was leased a commercial property in Dhamial Singh Mansion at the rate of Rs35 per square yard. Later, the Council adjourned the proceedings for date-in-office (Indefinite period).