The Pakistan Bar Council – the apex body representing the lawyers – have filed a complaint of misconduct against SC judge Mazahar Naqvi in the Supreme Judicial Council.
Top lawyer bodies, including the PBC, had announced to file separate complaints against the judge, after audio clips allegedly featuring him surfaced recently.
In the complaint filed on Friday, the council said the judges of the Supreme Court, constituting the SJC, devised the code of conduct for judges of superior courts “in the exercise of their powers under Article 209 (8) of the Constitution of Pakistan. Thus, respect and compliance with such code become the foremost duty of the judges of the Supreme Court”.
The body asked the SJC to hold an inquiry and initiate “proper proceedings” on the information, related to Justice Naqvi’s "assets worth crores of rupees", available on social media.
The audio leaks featured the judge's alleged conversation with former chief minister Punjab Parvez Elahi, who has now joined PTI and recently, with party’s leader Fawad Chaudhry. The duo was heard discussing fixing a case to a particular bench or judge.
Read this too: SJC Petitioner Says Justice Naqvi’s Assets Grew ‘Astronomically’
In another recording of a purported call, Fawad can be heard telling his brother Faisal to meet someone with the name of Mazahar and convey that “the entire truck is standing beside you, so tell us what to do now.”
Both Fawad and Elahi denied the audio clips. Also, a family member of the senior judge dismissed the allegations leveled against him, and termed it a “smear campaign to malign the judiciary”.
A day earlier, Pemra barred the broadcast and rebroadcast of content on the conduct of the serving high court and Supreme Court judges on electronic media, forthwith.
Pemra also directed satellite TV channels to ensure that a Time Delay Mechanism and "impartial editorial board" are in place.
In case of non-compliance, it warned, the licence will be suspended under Section 30 of Pemra Ordinance, 2002 without any show cause notice in the public interest.
Top lawyer bodies, including the PBC, had announced to file separate complaints against the judge, after audio clips allegedly featuring him surfaced recently.
In the complaint filed on Friday, the council said the judges of the Supreme Court, constituting the SJC, devised the code of conduct for judges of superior courts “in the exercise of their powers under Article 209 (8) of the Constitution of Pakistan. Thus, respect and compliance with such code become the foremost duty of the judges of the Supreme Court”.
The body asked the SJC to hold an inquiry and initiate “proper proceedings” on the information, related to Justice Naqvi’s "assets worth crores of rupees", available on social media.
The audio leaks featured the judge's alleged conversation with former chief minister Punjab Parvez Elahi, who has now joined PTI and recently, with party’s leader Fawad Chaudhry. The duo was heard discussing fixing a case to a particular bench or judge.
Read this too: SJC Petitioner Says Justice Naqvi’s Assets Grew ‘Astronomically’
In another recording of a purported call, Fawad can be heard telling his brother Faisal to meet someone with the name of Mazahar and convey that “the entire truck is standing beside you, so tell us what to do now.”
Both Fawad and Elahi denied the audio clips. Also, a family member of the senior judge dismissed the allegations leveled against him, and termed it a “smear campaign to malign the judiciary”.
A day earlier, Pemra barred the broadcast and rebroadcast of content on the conduct of the serving high court and Supreme Court judges on electronic media, forthwith.
Pemra also directed satellite TV channels to ensure that a Time Delay Mechanism and "impartial editorial board" are in place.
In case of non-compliance, it warned, the licence will be suspended under Section 30 of Pemra Ordinance, 2002 without any show cause notice in the public interest.