SC announces verdict on judge video scandal case
- By Web Desk -
- Aug 23, 2019
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan Friday announced verdict on judge Arshad Malik video scandal case and affirmed that five aspects of the matter were needed to be analyzed.
In a judgment released on the website of the SC, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa stated that the first matter was of the forum or court which would be relevant in determination of the verdict regarding erstwhile prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s conviction, second of whether the video was original or fake, third of the judge’s conduct, fourth of the effects of the footage and stressed that all issues have been addressed in the verdict.
According to the top judge, the copy of the verdict will be announced soon.
The judgment was reserved by the SC on August 20.
Last month, the Supreme Court took up a petition submitted by a citizen named Ishtiaq Ahmed, who requested the SC for an independent judicial probe into the video scandal.
During previous hearings, the CJP had asked Attorney General Anwar Mansoor to assist the court about the proceedings and the directions to follow over the controversial matter.
The attorney general told the court that the petitions have pleaded with the court to constitute a judicial commission to investigate the matter.
“One of the petitions has also requested the court to take an action against judge Arshad Malik,” he apprised the bench, adding that all facts have been revealed and the judge has also submitted his affidavit [as a rebuttal to Maryam Nawaz s press conference in which she leaked the video].
Video leak controversy
On July 6, Maryam Nawaz, addressing a presser, had claimed that Judge Arshad Malik was coerced into convicting her father in the case.
Judge Malik dismissed the accusations leveled against him by PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, adding the allegation of a bribe offered to the judicial officer by the former prime minister’s sons to elicit a favourable verdict is of a serious nature.
Judge Arshad Malik was removed from his post on the recommendation of the Islamabad High Court following this controversy around the leaked videotapes purportedly showing him talking to a PML-N sympathiser.