A fourth complaint has been submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Supreme Court Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi, with a plea to issue a show-cause notice to him for his alleged misconduct. If the judge's response is unacceptable during the proceedings, the council may transmit its findings to the president.
While the prior complaints were made by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the PML-N Lawyers' Forum, a lawyer from Lahore, and social media influencer Advocate Mian Dawood, Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan submitted the new application.
The new application alleged that the judge's behavior was unworthy of a judge and that he was guilty of misconduct as defined by Article 209(5)(b) of the Constitution when read in conjunction with Rule 3(l)(i) of the SJC investigation procedure. Additionally, the judge's actions violated Articles III, VI, and VIII of the Code of Conduct for Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, which was issued in accordance with Article 209(8).
The then-Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and the Supreme Court judge are allegedly heard speaking on a number of audio tapes, which the complaint claims show their close friendship. According to the complaint, this conversation took place while Mohammad Khan Bhatti, the CM's former principal secretary, was present at the judge's home. The complaint argued that this clearly demonstrated how the judge allegedly received favors from the ex-CM and his principal secretary and used those favors to influence the outcomes of cases involving people close to him.
According to the allegation, the judge had committed misconduct by exerting pressure on the secretary of religious affairs and interfaith harmony to secure favorable outcomes for his sons. The SJC was informed that a law office run by the judge's sons continues to operate and takes up 2,011 square feet of space at the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). According to the complaint, the judge initially used his clout to secure these properties for his sons to set up their offices at the rental that they had agreed upon with ETPB. However, later on, the rent was significantly reduced to a pitiful amount of Rs9 per square foot. The total rent the judge's sons must pay for this prestigious property located on Mall Road in Lahore is a pitiful Rs18,101 per month.
Additionally, it was claimed in the complaint that the judge abused his position by obtaining appointments for his sons to the boards of the FBR, NHA, and other organizations. It was further stated that he was well known for approaching justices on the high court to request their tolerance and a good conclusion in cases his sons were arguing.
According to the allegation, a well-known developer named Zahid Rafique transferred 10,000 pounds to the daughter of a judge in the UK, along with paying for her housing for 51 weeks at a weekly rate of 395 pounds and other expenses. This was in addition to giving out commercial plots.
The businessman also made arrangements for his son to spend 10 nights at the Montcalm Royal London House, a five-star hotel in London. In exchange, it was said, the judge used his influence to gain postings and transfers for various assistant commissioners, SHOs, DSPs, judicial officers, etc. in order to preserve the developer's commercial interests. There have been an astounding 60 postings and transfers combined.
The judge allegedly exerted influence on Mohammad Arif Khan's appointment as the district of Toba Tek Singh's chairman of the Zakat and Ushr committee, according to the complaint. It said that Bhatti was responsible for managing the appointment.
Also, it listed a number of plots that belonged to the judge and were located in various locations.
While the prior complaints were made by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the PML-N Lawyers' Forum, a lawyer from Lahore, and social media influencer Advocate Mian Dawood, Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan submitted the new application.
The new application alleged that the judge's behavior was unworthy of a judge and that he was guilty of misconduct as defined by Article 209(5)(b) of the Constitution when read in conjunction with Rule 3(l)(i) of the SJC investigation procedure. Additionally, the judge's actions violated Articles III, VI, and VIII of the Code of Conduct for Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, which was issued in accordance with Article 209(8).
The then-Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and the Supreme Court judge are allegedly heard speaking on a number of audio tapes, which the complaint claims show their close friendship. According to the complaint, this conversation took place while Mohammad Khan Bhatti, the CM's former principal secretary, was present at the judge's home. The complaint argued that this clearly demonstrated how the judge allegedly received favors from the ex-CM and his principal secretary and used those favors to influence the outcomes of cases involving people close to him.
According to the allegation, the judge had committed misconduct by exerting pressure on the secretary of religious affairs and interfaith harmony to secure favorable outcomes for his sons. The SJC was informed that a law office run by the judge's sons continues to operate and takes up 2,011 square feet of space at the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). According to the complaint, the judge initially used his clout to secure these properties for his sons to set up their offices at the rental that they had agreed upon with ETPB. However, later on, the rent was significantly reduced to a pitiful amount of Rs9 per square foot. The total rent the judge's sons must pay for this prestigious property located on Mall Road in Lahore is a pitiful Rs18,101 per month.
Additionally, it was claimed in the complaint that the judge abused his position by obtaining appointments for his sons to the boards of the FBR, NHA, and other organizations. It was further stated that he was well known for approaching justices on the high court to request their tolerance and a good conclusion in cases his sons were arguing.
According to the allegation, a well-known developer named Zahid Rafique transferred 10,000 pounds to the daughter of a judge in the UK, along with paying for her housing for 51 weeks at a weekly rate of 395 pounds and other expenses. This was in addition to giving out commercial plots.
The businessman also made arrangements for his son to spend 10 nights at the Montcalm Royal London House, a five-star hotel in London. In exchange, it was said, the judge used his influence to gain postings and transfers for various assistant commissioners, SHOs, DSPs, judicial officers, etc. in order to preserve the developer's commercial interests. There have been an astounding 60 postings and transfers combined.
The judge allegedly exerted influence on Mohammad Arif Khan's appointment as the district of Toba Tek Singh's chairman of the Zakat and Ushr committee, according to the complaint. It said that Bhatti was responsible for managing the appointment.
Also, it listed a number of plots that belonged to the judge and were located in various locations.