Reference filed against eight SC judges including CJP Bandial over 'serious misconduct'
Pakistan
Applicant says if they are not stopped from working, they would destroy the institution.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – A complaint was filed on Friday against eight judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, in the Supreme Judicial Council over "serious misconduct".
A lawyer named Mian Dawood has submitted the complaint against CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Sayed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar. Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed.
“The CJ Bandial and 7 Justices are guilty of OBVIOUS, GLARING ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND MALA FIDE. MISCONDUCT: they have threatened the very existence of the Supreme Court. They have undermined the honor, dignity, and ability of the SC to administer impartial administration of justice. They are demolishing the Apex Court. If CJ Bandial and seven other justices of Supreme Court are not restrained from exercising his administrative powers till the conclusion of inquiry and report the President in terms Article 209 of the Constitution, the SC may cease to exist as an independent and impartial institution and fundamental right to fair trial of the Citizens of Pakistan will be seriously threated,” reads the complaint.
— Mian Dawood (@miandawoodadv) April 14, 2023
The applicant said he had a good prima facie case against CJP Bandial and seven other justices of apex court, adding that if they were not stopped from working, they would destroy the institution.
He said the judges had violated the “Conduct for Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts and are guilty of misconduct,” adding the president should remove them from their offices under Article 209(6) of the Constitution of Pakistan to restore judicial integrity and independence.
