ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) granted further time to Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi to respond to the revised show cause notice, issued to him over charges of misconduct.

A five-member SJC-led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising two senior judges of the Supreme Court - Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Ijazul Ahsan and two chief justices of High Courts, i.e., Chief Justice Lahore High Court Muhammad Ameer Bhatti and Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Naeem Akhtar Afghan, on Thursday, conducted open proceedings of Justice Naqvi’s case at courtroom number one.

Earlier, in the day, Justice Naqvi filed an application before the SJC, requesting its members to hold an “open hearing” of the Council. He also stated that the proceeding of the Council be adjourned till the decision on his petitions filed before the Supreme Court. Justice Naqvi appeared along with his counsel Khawaja Haris, who requested the Council to postpone the proceedings as the hearing of constitutional petitions are scheduled for tomorrow before a three-judge bench.

“It would not be appropriate to hear the case till the decision of the Supreme Court,” Khawaja Haris added.

The SC judge was asked to submit his reply, along with a list of witnesses, by January 1. The Attorney General for Pakistan was directed to file the list of witnesses within three days.

The judge, Naqvi, has been accused of misconduct and mis-declaration of assets in complaints filed in the SJC. The decision on open proceedings was taken unanimously by all members of the SJC.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023