Asma wants CJ to make SJC decide references against judges before his retirement

ISLAMABAD: Senior lawyer and former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jehangir Wednesday said that the incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) has motivate d Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to adjudicate references pending against judges of the superior judiciary.

While talking to the media here at Islamabad High Court (IHC) cafeteria, she, however, said that the chief justice should decide all these pending references before his retirement. There are many references pending against judges with the SJC but the references against two consecutive chief justices of the IHC, Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi were different to the extent that these were filed in the light of Supreme Court’s September 26 judgment in the illegal appointments case.

Unless the Supreme Court reviews its said decision, this will remain intact, Asma Jehangir said. She said that the institutions were getting destroyed. She emphasised that there should be an accountability of lawyers and judges. Lawyers not meant for engaging in scuffles and those who are doing this earning bad name for this sacred profession and black coat, she added.

One Lahore High Court judge has a name in Panama Papers and he still has not resigned and is working without any worry, she added.