LHC 7-judge committee meets to decide fate of judge Arshad Malik

LAHORE: The administrative committee of the Lahore High Court comprising seven senior most judges Monday held a closed-door meeting to decide the fate of Islamabad accountability court’s former judge Arshad Malik, who had been suspended over video controversy. The decision taken in the meeting would be released formally on Tuesday (today) through a notification, public relations office of the high court told the media. LHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim chaired the meeting with the presence of senior puisne judge Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Amir Bhatti, Justice Malik Shahzad and Justice Shahid Waheed. Last week, the Islamabad High Court and suspended and repatriated district & sessions judge Arshad Malik to the LHC, the parent department, for disciplinary proceedings against him. “The disclosure and admission made by Mr Muhammad Arshad Malik, district & sessions judge/former judge accountability court-II Islamabad, in a press release dated July 7, 2019 and the affidavit dated July 11, 2019, prima facie, constitute acts of misconduct and violation of the code of conduct, which warrant initiation of disciplinary proceedings against him,” said a notification issued by the IHC acting registrar last Thursday. The Supreme Court, hearing petitions related to the video leak, had termed the conduct of judge Malik “shameful” and asked why the law ministry had not transferred him back to the LHC. The apex court had observed that it appeared that the law ministry was giving refuge to the controversial judge.

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leaders had accused judge Malik of convicting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference under duress. However, the judge claimed that he had been blackmailed by the PML-N supporters.

After PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz released video clips of judge Malik at a press conference, the IHC had summoned the accountability judge and directed him to submit an affidavit to explain his position.

Later, the judge, in his affidavit, stated that he had been blackmailed by the PML-N supporters because of an “immoral video” and admitted that he had met Mr Sharif at his Jati Umra residence and Hussain Nawaz in Saudi Arabia.