ISLAMABAD: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the plea filed by former Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui challenging his dismissal from the post. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, leading a five-member bench that included Justices Amin-ud-Din Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Irfan Saadat Khan, conducted the proceedings.
During the hearing, CJP Isa emphasized that the issue was not the speech itself but the content of the speech in the case related to Siddiqui’s dismissal by the Supreme Judicial Council. He noted that if a judge is removed for giving a speech, it could lead to a significant impact on the judiciary.
The chief justice remarked that a judge’s code of conduct does not prohibit them from speaking, but the problem arises when demands are made in the speech. He highlighted that many judges deliver speeches in bar council meetings and that the key concern is the content of the speech.
The hearing, available for public viewing on the apex court’s website and YouTube channel, featured lawyer Hamid Khan representing the former IHC judge. Khawaja Haris served as the lawyer for former Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid and Brigadier (retd) Irfan Ramay.
The case had been scheduled for an earlier hearing following a miscellaneous application filed by the ex-judge, seeking an early hearing of his plea against the decision by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) regarding his dismissal.
CJP Isa underscored that judges globally give interviews and participate in debates, emphasizing the importance of respecting constitutional institutions. The discussion also touched upon the appropriateness of the allegations leveled by Siddiqui and the possibility of investigating the matter internally.
The chief justice questioned the next steps and whether the case could be constitutionally remanded to the Supreme Judicial Council. In response, Hamid and Ramay’s lawyer argued against sending the case back to the SJC, stating that Siddiqui, being retired, cannot be reinstated as a judge, and the SJC can no longer review his case. In the previous hearing on December 14, 2023, the apex court had directed Siddiqui to nominate the ex-spy chief and others in the plea against his dismissal.
