Justice Rehman’s resignation: Asma lauds SC judge’s move

Says it enhances public confidence in the judiciary

ISLAMABAD: Eminent lawyer Asma Jahangir appreciated Supreme Court judge Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman’s decision to tender his resignation, saying that the move had enhanced the public’s confidence in the judiciary, and others should also follow in his footsteps.

While praising the decision, Jahangir, without naming anyone, said that another sitting judge should also resign as “who would seek justice from such a court.” She was speaking to the press on Monday in the bar room of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the issue of illegal appointments in the IHC, among other issues.

On September 26, the SC had declared null-and-void all appointments made in the IHC from 2011 onwards, with the ruling that these appointments were made without following the codal formalities of competitive process.



While declaring the appointments illegal, the apex court had observed that if the competent authority itself started cherry-picking by deliberately ignoring and overlooking meritorious candidates in appointments, the image of the institution would be tainted beyond repair.

She said the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) should also allow the media to cover references wherein serious allegations have been levelled against any judicial officer. At the same time, Jahangir asked media officials to avoid covering frivolous references.

Apart from the judges, she said, lawyers should also be held accountable and bar associations should make disciplinary committees more active and take appropriate action against them.

She also urged lawyers not to support anyone who is fighting for a wrong cause, adding that lawyers attacking court officials or insulting judges should not be tolerated.

Jahangir, who was also a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, had earlier said that the references against SC Justice Rehman and IHC Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi are different from other references as they were filed in line with the SC verdict in the illegal appointment case.

On October 23, a few days after Justice Rehman was accused of making illegal appointments in the IHC – of which he was previously Chief Justice – he tendered his resignation.

A few days ago, Islamabad High Court Bar Association General Secretary Waqas Malik had filed two separate references against Justice Rehman and Justice Kasi before the SJC.

In the references, Malik said Justice Rehman and Justice Kasi were accused of “misconduct” and “violated their oaths of office.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2016.