ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Thursday reviewed complaints of misconduct, including some pertaining to its own members, during a meeting chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.
The meeting was attended by Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Chief Justice Aminud Din Khan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar.
According to a statement by the SJC, in a notable demonstration of institutional accountability and transparency, the council decided to first take up matters concerning some of its own members. Accordingly, meetings were held with varying compositions in accordance with relevant constitutional provisions.
The meeting of the reconstituted council was chaired by FCC Chief Justice Aminud Din Khan and attended by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Shahid Waheed and Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice SM Attique Shah as substituted members.
However, the SJC statement did not disclose the fate of those complaints taken up against its own members.
It was stated that the council considered 23 matters in accordance with Article 209 of the Constitution and disposed of the agenda items.
The SJC did not share details of the 23 matters related to judges.
In March 2024, six judges of the IHC wrote an open letter to SJC alleging intimidation and “brazen meddling” in judicial affairs by an intelligence agency regarding politically consequential cases.
The matter remains pending due to ongoing suo motu proceedings.
