ISLAMABAD: Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi on Wednesday resigned as a judge of the Supreme Court, saying it was no longer possible for him to continue.
Justice Naqvi sent his resignation to President Dr Arif Alvi. He wrote in his resignation; “It was an honour to be appointed and to serve as a judge first of the Lahore High Court and then as the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”
“In the circumstances which are a matter of public knowledge and to some extent public record, it is no longer possible for me to continue to serve as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”
“Considerations of due process also compel. I, therefore, effective today resign as judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” said Justice Naqvi.
The date on the resignation letter is mentioned 10th January 2023. Therefore, in the evening senior PS to the judge issued a corrigendum that “inadvertently the date of letter was written as 10th of January, 2023 instead of 10th January, 2024.
Hon’ble Judge has desired that being a typographic mistake, the same may be corrected and recognised as 10th of January, 2024, and the concerned quarters may be informed accordingly.”
The proceedings against Justice Naqvi has been going on before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), and its next hearing is today (Thursday). The Council has issued a show-cause notice to the judge for amassing illegitimate assets and misconduct.
On the other hand, a three-judge bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, a day ago (January 9) declined the request of Justice Naqvi’s counsel to grant a stay against the proceedings of the SJC. It directed the petitioner to file an amended petition impleading the complainants as party in the instant matter.
Four complaints have been filed against Justice Naqvi before the Council by Mian Dawood, a Lahore-based lawyer, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Lawyers Forum, Punjab, PBC Vice Chairperson Haroon Rasheed and Council’s Chairperson Executive Committee Hasan Raza Pasha and Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan, for amassing illegitimate assets and misconduct.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan — part of the five-member SJC — who had refused to join other members of the council on November 22, 2023, in the issuance of the show-cause notice to Justice Naqvi, regretted the hasty proceedings.
In his letter to the SJC members, Justice Ijaz regretted that debate and discussion have been non-existent and have not been permitted during the ongoing council proceedings.
“Thus Nov 22, 2023 proceedings when the second show-cause notice was issued against Justice Naqvi were completely devoid of any discussion or deliberation whatsoever,” he said.
This manner of proceedings has cast an unwelcome doubt over the whole process, therefore, he disagreed with the process followed and the manner in which the proceedings were being conducted, Justice Ijaz stated.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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