Open trial of IHC judge on 30th
Justice Siddiqui seeks CDA record to prepare his defence
Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID / EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD :
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) urged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to order the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to provide the relevant record, enabling him to prepare his defence against charges levelled against him.
The SJC is scheduled to start open proceedings against the IHC judge on July 30.
Justice Siddiqui on Friday submitted an application, requesting it to order the CDA/PWD to furnish him information and material in advance.
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The application stated that details and comparative statement of expenses incurred on all official accommodations by the CDA on its pool, including House No 23-H on Street No12 in F-6/3, Islamabad and also the PWD notification regarding the retirement of Shahid Singha, (iii) allotment (final letter) of plot in favour of Manzoor Ahmed Shah, (iv) details of inquiries and criminal proceedings initiated against Ali Anwar Gopang and the status of inquiry about illegal appointments made by him and about his son Kashif Awnar Gopang, (v) List of all relatives of Ali Anwar Gopang working in the CDA, (vi) details of judicial proceedings, including contempt of court against Ali Anwar Gopang, (vii) details of inquiries and criminal proceedings against Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu and different judicial proceedings pending against him and observations made against his conduct by the IHC, in particular regarding cases concerning the diplomatic shuttle service contract, carved out plots from parks, playgrounds, green areas and providing direct access to petrol pumps, CNG stations from the Islamabad Highway, instead of service roads, (viii) service record and the manner in which he got the post of the DG (Planning), (ix) A comparative statement of construction at House No2, Street No60, F-7/4 Islamabad before and after allotment to the applicant, (x) date on which above house was vacated by Tariq Aziz, the then Principal Secretary to the General (retired) Pervez Musharraf, (xi) condition of house at the time of allotment to the applicant, (xii) details of expenditure incurred by CDA/PWD on the direction of earlier occupant, (xiii) details of alterations, modifications and additions made at the behest of Tariq Aziz.
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He also sought to know on whose orders the terrace of the house was converted into a “bar”, and why the green area of both sides of house was encroached upon and protected by huge concrete blocks at the time of the allotment to the applicant on whose instructions and who ordered to remove these blocks.
Earlier, the council had restrained media persons from commenting on the case against Justice Siddiqui.
This is the first time that an inquiry is being conducted against any judge of the superior judiciary in an open court.
According to SJC rules, any inquiry against a judge will be held in-camera.
Eight allegations were levelled against the IHC judge in the complaint pending against him since 2015.
In February this year, the SJC had served another show-cause notice on Justice Siddiqui, who questioned the role of ‘a constitutional institution’ in the matter of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Faizabad sit-in last year.
Later, the judge submitted a reply in this regard but the council had rejected it.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) urged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to order the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to provide the relevant record, enabling him to prepare his defence against charges levelled against him.
The SJC is scheduled to start open proceedings against the IHC judge on July 30.
Justice Siddiqui on Friday submitted an application, requesting it to order the CDA/PWD to furnish him information and material in advance.
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The application stated that details and comparative statement of expenses incurred on all official accommodations by the CDA on its pool, including House No 23-H on Street No12 in F-6/3, Islamabad and also the PWD notification regarding the retirement of Shahid Singha, (iii) allotment (final letter) of plot in favour of Manzoor Ahmed Shah, (iv) details of inquiries and criminal proceedings initiated against Ali Anwar Gopang and the status of inquiry about illegal appointments made by him and about his son Kashif Awnar Gopang, (v) List of all relatives of Ali Anwar Gopang working in the CDA, (vi) details of judicial proceedings, including contempt of court against Ali Anwar Gopang, (vii) details of inquiries and criminal proceedings against Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu and different judicial proceedings pending against him and observations made against his conduct by the IHC, in particular regarding cases concerning the diplomatic shuttle service contract, carved out plots from parks, playgrounds, green areas and providing direct access to petrol pumps, CNG stations from the Islamabad Highway, instead of service roads, (viii) service record and the manner in which he got the post of the DG (Planning), (ix) A comparative statement of construction at House No2, Street No60, F-7/4 Islamabad before and after allotment to the applicant, (x) date on which above house was vacated by Tariq Aziz, the then Principal Secretary to the General (retired) Pervez Musharraf, (xi) condition of house at the time of allotment to the applicant, (xii) details of expenditure incurred by CDA/PWD on the direction of earlier occupant, (xiii) details of alterations, modifications and additions made at the behest of Tariq Aziz.
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He also sought to know on whose orders the terrace of the house was converted into a “bar”, and why the green area of both sides of house was encroached upon and protected by huge concrete blocks at the time of the allotment to the applicant on whose instructions and who ordered to remove these blocks.
Earlier, the council had restrained media persons from commenting on the case against Justice Siddiqui.
This is the first time that an inquiry is being conducted against any judge of the superior judiciary in an open court.
According to SJC rules, any inquiry against a judge will be held in-camera.
Eight allegations were levelled against the IHC judge in the complaint pending against him since 2015.
In February this year, the SJC had served another show-cause notice on Justice Siddiqui, who questioned the role of ‘a constitutional institution’ in the matter of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Faizabad sit-in last year.
Later, the judge submitted a reply in this regard but the council had rejected it.