Awaiting justice: Despite contempt charges, judge named to sessions court

Ali Azim was suspended for summoning SC’s registrar.

ISLAMABAD: A former judge of the Islamabad High Court, Ali Azim Afridi, who is facing contempt charges, has been posted as the district and sessions judge in Haripur.

Newly appointed Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Fasihul Mulk issued a notification regarding the posting of Ali Azim on Friday.

Ali Azim had summoned the Supreme Court’s registrar, Dr Faqir Hussain, due to his alleged links with a company implicated in illegal drugs. Suspending that summons, the apex court issued a contempt notice against Azim.

The summoning notice to SC’s registrar was put before former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who in turn placed it before a Supreme Court bench to decide. The bench suspended Ali Azim Afridi’s summoning order.

On October 3, 2013, it also initiated contempt proceedings against him for passing this order against its registrar as well as using scandalous language against the superior courts judge.

The contempt matter is still pending before the apex court. Likewise, Ali Azim has also been removed from the post of anti-narcotics judge Peshawar and is now placed an officer on special duty (OSD) for passing of such order.

In his written reply to SC, Azim said contempt proceedings against him had conveyed a very dangerous message to district judiciary.

He also accused the Judicial Commission secretary (Dr Faqir Hussain) of misusing the SC human rights cell.

After Iftikhar Chaudhry’s retirement, the contempt case against former IHC judge has never been fixed for hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2014.