President Alvi accepts Justice Ahsan's resignation

ISLAMABAD:

President Dr Arif Alvi accepted on Friday the resignation of Supreme Court Judge Justice Justice Ijazul Ahsan, according to a statement from the president's office.

The statement added that the president accepted the resignation on the advice of Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar under "Articles 179 and 206 (a) of the Constitution".

A day earlier, Justice Ahsan, who was in line to become the next chief justice of Pakistan, tendered his resignation, creating unprecedented times for the Supreme Court. This comes a day after another like-minded judge, Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, also resigned.

"I have had the honour and privilege of serving as a judge of the Lahore High Court, the chief justice of the Lahore High Court, and a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

“However, I no longer wish to continue as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Therefore, I, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, resign as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in terms of Article 206(1) of the Constitution with immediate effect," said Justice Ahsan in his resignation letter, shocking many.

Now, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah will become the next CJ and serve for more than three years.

After his resignation, incumbent CJ Qazi Faez Isa's position has become stronger within the institution. Since the filing of a presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa in May 2019, judicial politics have been in full swing, and the SC has remained practically divided into two camps.

Justice Ahsan remained close to three former CJs—Saqib Nisar, Gulzar Ahmed, and Umar Ata Bandial. He was part of several benches that gave controversial decisions.

A debate is underway as to why Justice Ahsan resigned suddenly. It was an open secret that the superior bars were considering moving a complaint of misconduct against Justice Ahsan soon.

Read Justice Ahsan baffled at SJC’s ‘haste’

Justice Ahsan was already facing severe criticism from the PML-N for his role in the Panama Papers trial, which resulted in the conviction of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz. The PML-N supporters considered him a pro-PTI judge.

PML-N unsatisfied with Justice Ahsan's resignation

Yesterday while addressing a news conference following the resignation of Justice Ahsan, the senior puisne judge whom the PML-N saw as a hurdle for its upcoming government, the party’s central information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said his stepping down from the post was an admission of the allegations against him.

She added that a mere resignation could not exonerate the judge from his “terrible actions” against the people's elected leaders, democracy, and Constitution. Marriyum stressed that a resignation would not bury a plethora of controversial decisions and references against Justice Ahsan.

“The people of Pakistan demand that he [Justice Ahsan] must be held accountable for his actions in accordance with the law and merits of justice,” she continued.

The former federal information minister, while referring to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, raised the question that if a three-time elected premier could present himself, his entire family as well as political party for the most rigorous process of accountability, even in the circumstances primed for persecution and victimisation, why should any SC judge be exempted.