ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Bar Council (PBC) and a few more bars have decided to file reference of misconduct against a Supreme Court judge, justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, in the Supreme Judicial Council. This was announced by PBC’s Executive Committee Chairman Hasan Raza Pasha while talking to media the other day.
Hasan Raza Pasha, speaking to the media in a joint press conference outside the Supreme Court after a meeting of representatives of all bar councils in Islamabad, said all the bar councils have unanimously decided to file separate references under Article 209 of the Constitution.
“We have been demanding resignation from the Supreme Court judge from day one,” he said, adding that the the lawyers’ community was left with no other option but to pursue a legal course under Article 209. He said Justice Mazahir Naqvi violated his oath and damaged the judiciary’s reputation, adding that six misconduct references will be filed against him.
He went on to say that such an incident also happened in 1997, and at that time Justice Rashid Aziz, Justice Abdul Qayyum Malik resigned immediately, and he also expressed hope that Justice Mazahir would also resign after the audio leak.
“Section 184(3) should be amended to give a right of appeal to the party aggrieved by the decision,” Pasha suggested. He said the Chief Justice of Pakistan should sit with members of the SJC and determine the criteria for appointment of judges.
At the press conference, the lawyers’ leadership also demanded withdrawal of a review appeal of the government against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
