Ex-IHC judge approaches SC for fixation of petition

Shaukat Siddiqui was removed by SJC three years ago

ISLAMABAD:

Former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui has approached the Supreme Court for fixation of his petition against his removal by Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) three years ago stating that the matter is a “test case to gauge the independence of the judiciary and lack of external pressure”.

Siddiqui was deposed for leveling allegations against a spy agency of manipulating benches at Rawalpindi District Bar Association (RDBA) function.

On October 11, 2018, the SJC unanimously declared that while delivering the speech before RDBA on July 21, Siddiqui had displayed conduct unbecoming of a high court judge.

A larger bench of the apex court led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial had observed while adjourning the case that the matter is relisted on availability of the bench before the end of June 2021. However, the case could not be fixed to date.

"That numerous applications for early hearing were filed on behalf of the petitioner in the titled petition and a letter dated 05.08.21 inviting attention regarding hardships being faced by the petitioner due to long pendency of the matter was also sent to the Hon'ble Chief Justice bu¬t, unfortunately, nothing appears to have been done to bring the lis [sic] on the cause list. However, the office proposed three different dates i.e. 12.10.2021, 03.11.2021 and 25.11.2021 which were approved for fixation but for some unknown reasons on all three occasions, the hearing was canceled just days before the proposed dates," a petition filed by Siddiqui stated.

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"It may kindly be appreciated that the petitioner is out of office since 11.10.2018 and not employed or engaged and such situation had put the entire family on hardships and financial crisis," it added.

“That a recent address by the Hon'ble Chief Justice in a conference gave a ray of hope to the petitioner that other factors would not be relevant anymore in the instant matter which is pending since October 2018.”

The petition further said: “It may kindly be appreciated that the case of the petitioner is a test case to gauge the independence of the judiciary and lack of external pressure.”

Siddiqui requested the top court to fix the hearing of the petition for December 1.