LAHORE:
An administrative committee of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday sacked former accountability court judge Arshad Malik, who had convicted ex-premier Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mill reference in 2018.
The seven-member committee dismissed the district and sessions judge from service for misconduct on the basis of an investigation into a video released by PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz showing the judge ‘confessing’ to convicting Nawaz under duress. The inquiry report declared Malik guilty.
The judge had confessed to being in a compromising situation but claimed that he was trapped after being sedated.
The committee, headed by LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan, made the decision during a meeting. The seven-member body also comprises Justice Muhammad Amir Bhatti, Justice Shehzad Ahmed Khan, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Ali Baqir Najafi.
Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem of the LHC had been tasked with the inquiry by the committee on August 26 last year.
The PML-N had the judge of convicting Nawaz in the Al-Azizia reference under duress.
However, the judge had also acquitted the former prime minister in the Flagship Investments reference.
After PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz released the video clip of the judge at a news conference in July last year, the Islamabad High Court summoned him and directed him to submit an affidavit, explaining his position.
In his affidavit, the judge denied the party's claim, claiming that he had been blackmailed by the PML-N supporters through an "immoral video".
He also admitted to meeting Nawaz at his Jati Umra residence and Hussain Nawaz in Saudi Arabia
On August 22, the IHC suspended and repatriated the judge to the LHC, his parent department, for further disciplinary proceedings.
On September 14, the LHC made the judge an officer on special duty (OSD) from the date of his suspension and posted him to a sessions court.
Malik had joined the district judiciary on August 1, 2000 and was promoted to the post of a sessions judge on September 8, 2010. He was due to retire on May 24, 2022.
PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif welcomed the dismissal of the judge, maintaining the decision had proved that Nawaz was innocent.
“The LHC administrative committee's decision of sacking [former] Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik establishes that Nawaz Sharif was unjustly sentenced,” he tweeted.
“His innocence stands proven today. As a natural corollary, Mian sb's [Nawaz] sentence ought to be declared null and void.”
In another statement, Shehbaz expressed his gratitude to the Almighty for “vindicating” his brother Nawaz who was serving the country. It has been proven that the judge did not give the verdict based on justice, and now justice demands that the sentence against Nawaz Sharif should be abolished.”
The former prime minister’s daughter and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz described the LHC committee’s decision as a “victory of truth over lies”.
"The decision has not only washed away a stain on Nawaz, but also that on the institution of justice," she added.
She demanded that now the "tainted" judge's verdict against Nawaz should also be set aside.
“It time to decide on the innocence of a three-time prime minister of the country and the most popular politician in the country,” she wrote.
“The decision by seven honourable judges to dismiss the judge shows how Nawaz was [unfairly] sentenced.”
Information Minister Shibli Faraz tweeted that Malik’s dismissal from service was “the drop scene of an era where certain judges were blackmailed through cronies”
“The PMĹ-N and its leadership should apologise to the nation for patronising blackmailing & corruption, traits of a mafioso mindset,” he added.
Special Assistant to the PM on Accountability Shahzad Akbar pointed out that Malik was appointed by former premier and PML-N Senior Vice President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
He added that Malik, one of the two characters in the judge blackmail case, had been fired. “The other character in the game is Maryam Nawaz. She tried to influence the case by using the judge's video.”
Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the judge’s removal underscored the importance of moving towards reforming the judicial system.
“It would be unfortunate if the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Law wait any longer [to reform the system],” he tweeted.
“Set up the Judicial Service of Pakistan and improve the quality of judges. This is how judges will consider themselves bound by law.”
WITH INPUT FROM APP
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