SJC receives senior judge’s opinion on Justice Naqvi

Meeting of Supreme Judicial Council to be summoned based on the opinion

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), the constitutional forum that can hold judges of superior courts accountable, has received the opinion of Supreme Court Senior Puisne Judge Sardar Tariq Masood on complaints filed against one of his fellow judges, Sayyed M Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.

According to sources, Justice Masood has reviewed the complaints in detail and sent his legal opinion. The SJC chairman, incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Qazi Faez Isa, will decide about summoning a meeting of the council based on Justice Masood’s opinion.

Justice Masood had recently recommended that no actions were required on complaints lodged against some current and former Supreme Court judges under Article 209 of the Constitution: two former CJs, Saqib Nisar and Ata Bandial, as well as Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Ayesha Malik.

Formed under Article 209 of the Constitution, the SJC is empowered to hold inquiries into complaints about alleged misconduct of superior court judges. The council comprises the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the two most senior judges of the Supreme Court, and the two senior chief justices of the high court.

Individuals and some bar associations started filing complaints against Justice Naqvi after the judge, as part of a division bench on February 16, requested former CJ Bandial to take suo motu notice of the delay in announcing polls in Punjab.

Responding to a letter from the SJC secretary, one of the complainants, Mian Dawood, a lawyer, reiterated his claims on March 29 that Justice Naqvi violated the SC judges’ code of conduct issued under Clause (8) of Article 209 of the Constitution while submitting copies of various documents, including sale deeds.

He claimed that the SC judge had committed misconduct, allegedly making illegal assets and amassing wealth through his front-men. He also claimed that the SC judge and his family members were found “involved in malpractices and misuse of power in a criminal-designed pattern during his service.”

“He (Justice Naqvi) uses his position to facilitate his sons and a daughter studying abroad and getting financial gains from Zahid Rafique, owner of Future Holdings.

“There is a general discussion in the bar rooms that the sons of Justice Naqvi approach aggrieved parties of the Lahore High Court and the Supreme Court in criminal cases, demanding hefty amounts in lieu of getting facilitation and favorable decisions from the LHC and the SC through Justice Naqvi.

“Properties of Justice Mazahir Naqvi in different cities and housing societies are held by a benamidar, who also acts as his front man.”

The complainant alleged that the SC judge "openly flaunts his relations with the PTI and its leader Imran Khan" and has "influenced" and "manipulated" legal cases, adding that "cases are being fixed" in his court.