The Supreme Judicial Council has sought an affidavit from Mian Dawood Advocate, who filed a reference against Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, in support of his allegations.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court and the Secretary Supreme Judicial Council has through a letter asked the complainant, Advocate Mian Dawood, to submit his affidavit as per Section 5(3) of the Procedure of Inquiry Rules of the Supreme Judicial Council, 2005.
According to Section 5(3) of the Rules, a person providing information about alleged misconduct of a judge through a complaint must properly identify himself.
Section 5 also specifies that any citizen may bring to the notice of the Supreme Judicial Council, its Secretary or a member, information about the alleged incompetence or misconduct of a judge. Such allegations may, however, be supported by material that in the opinion of the Supreme Judicial Council is sufficient to initiate an inquiry.
Judicial Magistrate Quetta approves Hassaan Niazi’s bail
A total of four complaints have been filed before the Supreme Judicial Council against Justice Syed Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, who is ranked ninth in the seniority list of the Supreme Court. Apart from Advocate Dawood, a lawyer from Lahore and active on social media, complaints have been filed against the judge on behalf of Muslim League (N) Lawyers Forum, Pakistan Bar Council, and Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan.
In his complaint, Mr Dawood had demanded an inquiry into the judge’s assets. The complainant also wrote a letter to the Chief Justice on March 6 asking him to redress the complaint before the Supreme Judicial Council as soon as possible so that a transparent inquiry can be conducted. The complainant also requested the Chief Justice to ensure that the judge is not made a part of a bench or hears any case till the conclusion of the proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council.
The complainant also sent copies of the complaint to Supreme Judicial Council members Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Ahmad Ali Shaikh, and Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court Qaiser Rashid Khan.
In its complaint, Dawood Advocate expressed regret that by making Justice Mazahir Naqvi a member of various benches, people’s confidence in the Supreme Judiciary is being eroded as litigants may doubt the judicial decisions issued by him.