ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court set aside decision of Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for termination of Islamabad High Court (IHC)’s judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. Top court issue 23-pages judgment authored by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. Order said, “SJC’s Report/Opinion of October 11, 2018, which was submitted to President and notification No. F.9(2)/2018-A.II, October 11, 2018, stated to have been issued on advice of Prime Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers are set aside. Consequently, Justice Siddiqui shall be deemed to have retired as Judge of Islamabad High Court and he will be entitled to receive all benefits and privileges due to retired Judge, by allowing these petitions in above terms.”    It said court regretted delay in case being heard and subsequently decided that Justice Siddiqui attained age of sixty-two years in interregnum-age at which judge of high court retires. Therefore, Justice Siddiqui cannot be restored to position of Judge.

“Therefore, it was all more necessary for SJC to have inquired into matter and to have determined who was telling truth. SJC did not give any credence to Justice Siddiqui’s own words and to contents of his replies, SJC assumed that they were false and having made this assumption concluded that Justice Siddiqui was guilty of misconduct.

Judgment said, “Code of Conduct issued by SJC does not prohibit judge from addressing bar association or even public gathering, neither does any law.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 23 2024

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