Justice Shaukat Siddiqui's office in IHC catches fire

All furniture and items in the room turned to ash

ISLAMABAD: Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui's office caught fire as the UPS installed exploded causing a short circuit in the electric wiring at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday morning.

Initial reports reveal that the explosion caused wires of Justice Siddiqui's staff room to further catch fire. The records in the room were saved.

Justice Siddiqui was on a leave and stayed unharmed.

The registrar has sealed the room for further investigation.



Earlier in March, the counsel for Justice Siddiqui of the IHC contended that in-camera proceedings of misconduct against judges stigmatise their reputation.

The argument came as a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh, resumed hearing of constitutional petitions filed by Justice Siddiqui and Justice Farukh Irfan of the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking open trial before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

Last year on May 18, the SJC had rejected IHC judge’s plea seeking his open trial. Later, the high court judge challenged the council’s order through a constitutional petition.



Makhdoom Ali Khan, while representing Justice Siddiqui, debated that public interest and the interest of the judge demanded that the proceedings before the council against the conduct of a judge should be held in the open because “the judge is stigmatised for life, loses his pension benefits and his family remains affected for generations”.