After much judicial wrangling, an additional judge of Islamabad High Court (IHC) tendered his resignation just two weeks before his scheduled retirement.
IHC Additional Judge Azim Khan Afridi, whose nomination as a regular judge was rejected by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), sent an application to the IHC Registrar Niaz Mohammad Khan on Tuesday, requesting to be relieved from his post on November 15.
He requested that his application be forwarded to the registrar of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) so that his pension documents could be prepared. He further stated that since his children are studying in Islamabad he wants to continue living at his residence at the judicial colony and asked the IHC registrar to send him information on the matter.
When contacted, the IHC registrar confirmed he had received Justice Afridi’s application. “Technically, he should have tendered his resignation before the President of Pakistan,” said Khan, adding that it makes no difference since Afridi’s term will expire on November 20.
On October 22, the JCP, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, rejected Afridi’s nomination as a regular judge allegedly due to accusations against him of appointing 45 of his favourites in the lower judiciary.
After the decision, Justice Afridi filed a petition before the IHC, requesting the court to summon the secretary of JCP to provide reasons for his rejection. However, the IHC registrar raised objection over his plea.
A day earlier, Afridi’s counsel Afnan Karim Kundi excused himself from pleading the case due to difference of opinion with his client.
Justice Afridi took oath as an additional judge of the IHC on November 21, 2011 to represent the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. His contract was to expire on November 20. He also served as senior civil judge, additional district and sessions judge, and district and sessions judge in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2012.
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