PBC asks CJP to make public findings of cases decided by SJC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the apex body of the legal fraternity, on Monday demanded of Chief Justice of Pakistan to make public findings of 398 cases of misconduct, decided by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the judges of superior courts.

In a letter, dispatched to Registrar of the Supreme Court, Syed Amjid Shah, Vice Chairman of PBC, demanded of Chief Justice of Pakistan to make public, findings of the cases of misconduct against judges of the superior courts, decided so far by the SJC.

"We will appreciate that Pakistan Bar Council, the apex regulatory body of the legal fraternity, being one of the important stake holders, would like to request for making public under Rule 13 (2) of Supreme Judicial Council so far decisions taken by it on all the references", says letter available with The News.

Amjid Shah further wrote that the legal fraternity often expresses its reservations about functioning of Supreme Judicial Council especially in respect of dealing with and deciding the References sent to it against judges of superior courts and keeping its decisions secret.

It is pertinent to mention that the SJC for the first time the other day had revealed that only 28 cases, including the two Presidential References, are pending before it.

It had clarified that 426 complaints/references had been received in the Supreme Judicial Council, adding that all of them were processed and after going through various stages of process as per “The Supreme Judicial Council Procedure of Enquiry 2005”, 398 cases have been disposed of and only 28 cases, including the two Presidential References, are pending before it.

It had further clarified that all the cases are in process and will be disposed of in due course of time. The disclosure came from the Supreme Court public relations officer after leaders of lawyers organisations had told media that the SJC has about 350 references pending.

Meanwhile, in his letter, the Vice Chairman PBC also expressed concerns stating that the petition titled " Nadem Ahmed, advocate and other verses federation of Pakistan and others", and many other connected matters regarding functioning of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, is still pending and has not been fixed for hearing and decision by the Supreme Court despite lapse of a considerable long time.

Likewise, he informed the Chief Justice that the petition filed by Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, former Judge, Islamabad High Court, against decision of the Supreme Judicial Council as to his removal from the bench, has also not been fixed for hearing as yet. "The Pakistan Bar Council, therefore, urged upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan for early fixation and hearing of both the matters, by the Supreme Court", says the letter.