The Supreme Judicial Council adjourned proceedings against Justice Mazahar Naqvi on Thursday after deciding to hold open proceedings in the reference against the judge.

Naqvi has been accused of misconduct and misdeclaration of assets in complaints filed in the SJC. The decision on open proceedings was taken unanimously by all members of the SJC.

The judge had written to the SJC asking for open proceedings. He has also filed multiple petitions against the proceedings in the Supreme Court.

Proceedings will resume on January 11. However, Justice Naqvi has been ordered to respond to the show cause notices issued to him by January 1 after the judge requested for more time.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who presided over proceedings on Thursday, clarified that the reference could not be put on hold just because a petition had been filed in the Supreme Court.

He remarked that the Council was a separate constitutional body and every institution should work within its ambit.

Justice Isa also said that no one wants to take action against his fellow judge. He added that the previous chief justice could have settled the matter but it had fallen to him instead.

He added that it was not the Council which had filed a complaint against Justice Naqvi.

The representative of the bar council argued against giving Justice Naqvi more time to file his reply. However, the chief justice questioned which of their rights would be usurped by giving the judge an extension.