The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to key figures, including former spy chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid, following the filing of a plea by former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui challenging his dismissal.
The notices were also extended to former IHC chief justice Anwar Khan Kasi, former Supreme Court registrar Arbab Muhammad Arif, and retired brigadier Irfan Ramay.
A five-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justices Amin-ud-Din Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Irfan Saadat Khan, is currently overseeing the proceedings related to Siddiqui’s plea.
Siddiqui’s plea was filed earlier this month, seeking an early hearing of his case against the decision by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to dismiss him.
During the today’s hearing, Siddiqui’s lawyer, Hamid Khan, sought the “impleadment” of seven respondents, and Barrister Salahuddin, representing bar associations, also sought impleadment of some individuals.
Chief Justice Isa questioned the accuracy of the allegations made by Siddiqui, emphasizing the gravity of the accusations.
The CJP highlighted the potential implications of the allegations, suggesting that if proven true, certain individuals may have facilitated someone’s ascent to power during the elections.
He raised the question of whether the army is an independent entity or subordinate to the government, and the response indicated its subordination under the Constitution.
The chief justice expressed concern about the interconnected nature of the allegations, emphasizing the need to address them comprehensively.
He questioned whether the court should focus solely on Siddiqui’s desired direction or consider the broader implications of alleged manipulation in the judiciary.
Barrister Salahuddin acknowledged allegations of maneuvering within the judiciary to influence electoral politics, mentioning the names of political figures such as Nawaz Sharif.
The chief justice queried the Bar Association’s interest, asking if it was solely about securing pensionary benefits.
As the proceedings unfolded, the Supreme Court ordered Siddiqui’s counsel to amend the petition within a week and resubmit it. The court then adjourned the hearing until the third week of January 2024.
It is crucial to note that Siddiqui was removed from his position in the IHC in 2018 for making a speech targeting intelligence agencies. Multiple references were filed against him, leading to his dismissal by the SJC.
The ongoing case challenges his dismissal and seeks to nullify the notification issued against him as an IHC judge.