Judge’s video issue can’t be ignored: AG

KARACHI: Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor has said the accountability court judge Arshad Malik video issue cannot be ignored, and if anything brings bad name to the judiciary, curbing it becomes necessary.

He said in a TV interview on Tuesday that the federal government had nothing to do with the video issue. As the issue directly pertains to the judiciary; therefore the forensic test of the audio-video and all investigation in this regard should also be carried out under the judiciary.

He said those seeking justice should move the court and inform it about their concerns. The AG said the video also defamed judge Arshad Malik and damaged his reputation; he also had the authority to initiate judicial process in this regard.

He said if any litigant feels that the accountability court gave a verdict under coercion or pressure, they might move the high court to seek justice on the basis of evidence.

Anwar Mansoor said the prime minister had already clarified that video had no link with the government in anyway, and he too, as the attorney general, could not direct anyone to take notice of the issue. However, he added, there would be no objection at all if the Supreme Court take suo motu notice of the scandal. He said that legally speaking, the matter should go to the high court first.

The AG said the court could take notice of the issue under Article 184, but it is its choice whether it wanted to take action or not. He said suo motu notices under Article 183 had gone down after Justice Asif Saeed Khosa’s appointment as the chief justice of Pakistan, as every CJ had his own viewpoint. Anwar Mansoor said it is a reality that judges had to face pressures, and taking corrective measures in this regard was necessary. However, he added, he had no authority to ask the court to take action on it. He admitted that the current situation was definitely affecting the credibility of the judiciary.

In reply to a question, he said if a judge gives a verdict under pressure, and the affected party moves the appellate court, it would reconsider all the evidence and decide if the trial court’s judgement was right or wrong.