Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz resigns as LHC judge

LAHORE: Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has stepped down from his position, citing personal reasons for his resignation. 

In his resignation, addressed to the President of Pakistan, Justice Aziz stated that he could no longer continue in his role due to personal circumstances.

Recalled assuming his responsibilities as a LHC judge in 2016 in the letter, he noted that during his tenure, he adjudicated nearly 40,000 cases.

However, invoking Article 206 of the Constitution, he announced his decision to step down, stating that he was unable to continue his judicial duties. 

As per the Lahore High Court’s website, Justice Aziz was born on 9 September 1971.

He was appointed as an additional judge on 26 November 2016 and was expected to retire on September 8, 2033. However, he chose to resign prematurely. 

His resignation follows a similar move last year when Justice Shahid Jamil Khan of the LHC resigned before his scheduled retirement in 2029.

Justice Khan’s resignation letter had gone viral on social media as it had some couplets from Iqbal’s Zarb-e-Kaleem, translated as follows:

A free manʹs breath can match a subject year,
How slowly moves the time of serfs, is clear!
The thoughts of persons free with truth are lit,
But thoughts of slaves do not own sense a bit.
A slave has craze for marvels wrought by guides
Himself a wonder ʹlive, his memory fresh abides.
About the self here have no talk, O bard,
Because with schools such sermons do not accord.

Ranked 11th in the seniority list, Justice Khan had served as a judge for a decade and cited personal reasons for his decision to step down under Article 206(1) of the Constitution. 

Earlier, in January 2024, Supreme Court judges Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Mazahir Akbar Naqvi had also tendered their resignations.

Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi had stepped down from his post following a judicial reference filed against him in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), accusing him of “misconduct” and “amassing illegitimate assets”.