The top court also issued notices to former IHC chief justice Anwar Khan Kasi, former Supreme Court registrar Arbab Muhammad Arif, and retired brigadier Irfan Ramay.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Dec 15th, 2023) The Supreme Court has issued notices to former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general Faiz Hamid and others in response to a petition filed by former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui challenging his removal.
A SC five-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa passed the orders on the plea moved by former IHC Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui.
The top court also issued notices to former IHC chief justice Anwar Khan Kasi, former Supreme Court registrar Arbab Muhammad Arif, and retired brigadier Irfan Ramay.
The proceedings, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and a five-member bench, were made accessible through the apex court's website and YouTube channel.
In a previous ruling, the Supreme Court instructed Siddiqui to include former spy chief Hamid, retired army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and others in his plea against dismissal.
The case, initiated earlier this month following a miscellaneous application by the judge, sought an expedited hearing of his plea against the decision by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on his dismissal.
During today's hearing, lawyer Hamid Khan, representing Siddiqui, sought the inclusion of seven respondents in the case. Barrister Salahuddin, the lawyer for bar associations, also sought inclusion, excluding Justice (retd) Anwar Kasi, who was already impleaded.
CJP Isa questioned Khan about the accuracy of the petitioner's allegations, emphasizing the responsibility of the accusations made under Article 184(3). The chief justice raised concerns about potential interference in the electoral process and the role of army generals in the alleged manipulation.
Barrister Salahuddin highlighted allegations of manipulation within the judiciary to influence electoral politics, mentioning Names like Nawaz Sharif and his opponents. Chief Justice Isa questioned the Bar Association's interest in the matter, and Salahuddin clarified their focus on exposing any judicial manipulation and ensuring accountability for those responsible.
Justice Mandokhail observed that the accusations were against the judicial system, prompting the court to acknowledge the serious nature of the allegations.
The Supreme Court instructed Siddiqui's counsel to amend the petition and resubmit it within a week, providing the accused parties an opportunity to respond.
Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui was removed from his IHC position in 2018 following a speech critical of intelligence agencies. Multiple references, including allegations of extra expenses and remarks during the Faizabad sit-in case, led to his dismissal by the SJC in October 2018. The ongoing legal battle saw its last hearing on June 13, 2022, with Siddiqui seeking the cancellation of the dismissal notification and being represented by senior lawyer Hamid Khan, with the Islamabad Bar Association and Karachi Bar Association also parties to the petition.
