LHC panel discusses judge Malik’s video scandal

PRO Dar says details of the meeting not revealed as two of the judge’s signatures could not be taken on the minutes

LAHORE: Delay in revealing the outcome of the first round of meeting of the Lahore High Court (LHC) administrative committee on the controversial video scandal of suspended judge, Arshad Malik, stirred rumour mill in the legal fraternity.

The legal fraternity pundits gave a mixed reaction to the meeting’s outcome as some termed it a “sensitive matter”, while others claimed that how it could be declared a sensitive matter when the LHC registrar office had given media briefing to some reporters on the matter.

Some were witnessed assuming different outcomes, but no one was confident about what actually happened in the seven-member administrative committee’s meeting, headed by LHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan.

Some lawyers claimed that the administrative committee might have nominated a judge to initiate an inquiry against the suspended judge over the controversial video sandal while others were of the opinion that there might have been a difference of opinion amongst the members and that was why the outcome of the meeting was delayed.

Soon this point was made clear with an opinion that there could be no difference of opinion on the suspended judge’s matter as the Supreme Court had given very clear remarks on this issue.

When contacted Public Relation Officer Arif Javed Dar, he expelled the rumours regarding delay in sharing the outcome of the meeting, adding that two of the judge’s signatures could not be taken on the meeting minutes.

He said when the signatures would be taken of the said judges, then the file would be sent to LHC CJ Sardar Shamim for obtaining his signature and then the LHC registrar office would issue a press release regarding the meeting.

When asked about the rumours, he said it was premature to say anything until the LHC registrar office issued a proper press release.

However, he confirmed that the media could be given information about the meeting through a press note on Tuesday (today).

CJ LHC Shamim had summoned the meeting by August 26 (yesterday) to likely initiate an inquiry against the suspended judge over his alleged controversial video scandal.

The Monday’s meeting was attended by Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Ameer Bhatti, Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan and Justice Shahid Waheed.

Justice Shahid Waheed attended the meeting in absence of Justice Qasim Khan (owing to being out of country).

A reliable source claimed that it was not necessary for judge Malik to appear before the administrative committee but if he wanted to appear he could appear and he might be summoned by the committee if required.

The Islamabad High Court had ordered to repatriate the judge to the LHC so that disciplinary action could be initiated against him over violating the code of conduct.

The notification further stated the disclosures and admissions made by Muhammad Arshad Malik, District and Sessions Judge/Former Judge, Accountability Court-II, Islamabad in his press release July 07, 2019 and the affidavit dated July 11, 2019, prima facie, constitute acts of misconduct and violation of the code of conduct, which warrant initiation of disciplinary proceedings against him.

Therefore, the chief justice of this court had been pleased to order to place the said judicial officer under suspension and repatriate to his parent department ie LHC, with immediate effect, for disciplinary proceedings to be conducted in accordance with the law