IBC condemns reference against Justice Kayani

Justice Kayani and five judges wrote to SJC chair about alleged intelligence agency interference in judicial affairs

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) on Tuesday condemned the reference filed against IHC Senior Puisne Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, terming it “baseless and frivolous”.

A day earlier, it was reported that former secretary of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA), Waqas Malik Advocate, had filed a complaint, with the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Kayani, seeking his removal over alleged misconduct.

The complaint accused the judge of pursuing an "anti-state agenda" and colluding with other IHC judges. These alleged actions, deemed as misconduct, warrant his removal from the post.

Justice Kayani is among six judges who, on March 27, wrote a letter to the SJC chairman – Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, citing alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

Read also: SJC petitioned against Justice Kayani

In a video statement on Tuesday, IBC Vice Chairman Adil Aziz Qazi expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the filing of the “frivolous reference” against Justice Kayani.

He observed that the filing of the “baseless reference” was deemed to be an “affront to the esteemed judiciary” and was regarded as a “blatant abuse” of the legal process.

The statement noted that Justice Kayani had served the judiciary with the “utmost dedication, impartiality and integrity”, adding that the judge’s “unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and dispensing justice fairly is commendable and beyond reproach”.