Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa has said that there were good people and bad people in all aspects of life while speaking about the judge’s accusations against former judge Justice Shaukat Siddiqui who in his one of his speeches made allegations.
“We won’t give you this permission. This has become a fashion to malign institutions. There are good people and bad people in institutions. There are good and bad lawyers,” he said while presiding over a case against the dismissal of former Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Siddiqui on Thursday.
The CJP remarked that the court proceedings cannot proceed without hearing the men who have been accused. He told the lawyer to make them party in the case, however, he added that cannot proceed without giving notice to anyone.
The apex court conducted live proceedings of the case. It was shown on YouTube and the SC’s website.
A five-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa was hearing the case. The other members of the bench are Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi.
On October 11, 2018, President Arif Alvi removed Justice Siddiqui as a judge of the IHC after the Supreme Judicial Council recommended his removal. In reaction, Justice Siddiqui said the decision was “not unexpected” for him.
Two months before the removal, the SJC had served a show-cause notice to him on the reference for making unnecessary comments at the Rawalpindi District Bar Association by accusing the establishment of manipulating the judicial proceedings.
At the outset of the hearing, the CJP asked Siddiqui’s lawyer Hamid Khan when the last time was the case was heard and which judges heard it? He added that he wanted to hear the case right from the start.
To this, Khan replied that the last hearing was held on June 13, 2022.
At the start, CJP Isa also clarified that the bench was formed in the light of Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Law.
He added that Justice Tariq Masood and Justice Ijazul Ahsan have recused themselves from hearing the case. The CJP also asked the Siddiqui’s lawyer if he has objection to any judge from the bench. Khan replied in negative.
