‘Traumatised’: Judge not confirmed for IHC alleges conspiracy

Justice Azim Afridi serves judicial commission with defamation notice.

PESHAWAR:

In response to being dropped from the run of permanent judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) following charges of corruption and illegal appointments, Justice Azeem Afridi served the judicial commission of Pakistan with a defamation notice.

The notice, a copy of which was provided to The Express Tribune, was served through his counsel Mian Muhibullah Kakakhel, and seeks damages to the tune of Rs1 billion. The notice claims Afridi was traumatised and defamed by the commission after he was not confirmed as an IHC judge.

It was addressed to the secretary of the judicial commission of Pakistan, and read that despite having been nominated as a permanent judge of the IHC by the IHC chief justice, Justice Muhammad Azim Khan Afridi was dropped from the run due to charges of alleged corruption. However, it says, details were not provided to him. According to the notice, Afridi later approached the commission to procure the material evidence against him which, the notice mentioned, was never handed over to him.



The notice read that Afridi also lodged a writ petition at the IHC seeking the documents considered for his ouster from the run of permanent IHC judges but the said writ petition is yet to be heard despite its urgent status.

It read that Afridi had attempted to seek protection under the law and also submitted a case before the apex court.  However, after receiving no response from the quarters concerned, Afridi came to the conclusion that his removal was based on personal enmity.

The notice, a copy of which was also sent to President Asif Ali Zardari, reads that on October 29, Justice Azim appeared before the judicial commission accusing Justice Muhammad Anwar Kasi of the IHC and Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan of the apex court of scheming against him.

The notice went on to say that Justice Afridi is entitled to seek relief available under the Constitution, including damages from the judicial commission, its chairman and Justice Muhammad Anwar Kasi, who was labelled “one of the schemers” in the notice.

It also said that a payment as compensation for the trauma and torture be paid within 15 days, otherwise Afridi would be forced to sue all those concerned.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2012.