Justice Naqvi seeks SJC record

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s judge Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi on Wednesday sought a record of the proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council pleading against him.

“The undersigned would not be in a position to prepare a reply which has to be filed within the stipulated period of time. For ease of reference, I once again reiterate the documents needed for filing my reply’, read the letter by Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali.

Documents required

i) a letter of the then Chief Justice of Pakistan / Chairman Supreme Judicial Council while referring the matter to Justice Sardar Tariq Masood pursuant to complaints against the undersigned;

ii) copy of the opinion rendered by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood after keeping those complaints for about 04 months;

iii) copy of the proceedings during which the Show Cause Notice dated 28.10.2023 was issued;

iv) copy of the proceedings and order whereby the complainants and record was requisitioned under Article 210 of the Constitution;

v) copy of the proceeding and the provision under which the personal hearing was granted to the undersigned after issuance of Show Cause Notice;

vi) copy of the order and provision of law under which the complainants were summoned to appear and their statements were recorded reiterating the allegations which were recorded while the undersigned was asked to keep mum, as such, the notice of appearance for personal hearing was violated by the Council itself,” read the letter’s content read by the Hum Investigation Team.

While filing the preliminary reply and under letters, the letter further revealed that Justice Naqvi raised certain objections regarding the recusal of three members of SJC and reconstitution of SJC on valid legal grounds as per the spirit of the law but the said objections have not been taken into consideration and decided so far.

The sources further said that Justice Naqvi in his letter written to the SJC Secretary further pointed out that the undersigned has filed two Constitution Petitions calling into question the issuance of Show Cause Notice dated 28.10.2023 and revised Show Cause Notice dated 24.11.2023.

“It has been consistent practice of the Supreme Judicial Council that whenever a Constitution Petition is filed calling in question the legality of the proceedings before the SJC, the SJC stops/stays the proceedings before it as an abundant caution to meet the ends of justice” sources said.

Requisite documents may be provided to the undersigned enabling the undersigned to prepare his reply to the revised show cause notice, stating the content of the letter adding, “Apart from this in view of the consistent practice of the SJC, any further proceeding in the case of the undersigned be ordered to be stayed till the matter is heard and decided by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”