Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi. Photo courtesy Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Wednesday initiated proceedings against Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi over multiple allegations of misconduct, corruption and similar allegations.
Local media reported that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, who heads the SJC, had forwarded all the complaints against Justice Naqvi to a senior member of the SJC for verification prior to convening a meeting of the body to deliberate on the matter. While it was not specified which member of the SJC would be verifying the complaints, traditionally the role has fallen to the second senior-most member, who in this case is Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
Apart from the CJP, the SJC currently comprises Justices Qazi Faiz Isa and Sardar Tariq Masood of the Supreme Court; Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Muhammad Sheikh; and Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti. Justices Isa and Masood had earlier written to the CJP, urging him to convene a meeting of the SJC to address the complaints against Justice Naqvi, noting that he would remain controversial so long as the allegations remained in place.
However, the CJP had repeatedly resisted all calls for convening the SJC meeting, saying during proceedings that he intended to send a “silent message” to “certain powers” by including Justice Naqvi on various benches with him despite the complaints, which had been cited to seek the recusal of Justice Naqvi from various cases.
There have been numerous references filed against Justice Naqvi since the release of alleged audios either featuring or referring to him. In one of the alleged audios, former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi can be heard discussing “managing” courts, while in another he speaks frankly with Justice Naqvi, telling him he is coming to visit him. Among the complaints against Justice Naqvi is one submitted by the Pakistan Bar Council, which alleges misconduct and financial impropriety; another by advocate Mian Dawood, which accuses him of violating the code of conduct for judges and amassing wealth through “front-men”; and a third by the Vice Chairman of the Sindh Bar Council that argues that Justice Naqvi’s alleged misconduct is damaging the reputation of the Supreme Court. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Lawyers Forum Punjab has also filed a reference against the sitting judge.
Seizing on the controversy, parties belonging to the ruling coalition—particularly the PMLN—have accused Justice Naqvi of “bias” against them and repeatedly sought his recusal from cases pertaining to them.
The SJC is the sole body authorized to take action against the higher court judges. It is headed by the CJP and comprises the next two senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, as well as the two senior-most chief justices of the high courts.