SC asks ex-IHC judge to name those he holds responsible in removal case

SC asks ex-IHC judge to name those he holds responsible in removal case

Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday directed former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Azizi Siddiqui on to nominate ex-ISI chief General Faiz Hamid and others in the plea against his dismissal.

A five-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan conducting proceedings on the plea.

During today’s hearing, Siddiqui’s counsel Hamid Khan read out his client’s speech that led to his removal. However, the bench urged him to either include the officials as party to the case, or withdraw his allegations against them.

The chief justice emphasised that allegations should not be directed at institutions but at individuals responsible for the wrongdoing.

In conclusion, Hamid Khan requested a day’s time to submit an application nominating former spy agency officials as respondents.

Hours later, Siddiqui moved an application for making ex-army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and ex DG ISI Faiz Hameed party to the case.

The proceedings were broadcast live on the apex court's website as well as on its YouTube channel.
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) had found Siddiqui guilty of misconduct over a speech he delivered in July 2018 before the Rawalpindi District Bar Association.

Siddiqui had hurled allegations against personnel of a security agency, claiming that they manipulated the judicial proceedings.

In November, he had filed a miscellaneous application with the apex court for early hearing of his petition against the SJC’s decision.