SC reserves verdict in Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui dismissal case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict in former Islamabad High Court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui dismissal case, ARY News reported.

The former judge had challenged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) about his removal from service after a speech he had delivered at Rawalpindi Bar Association.

A five-member bench led by CJP Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan conducted proceedings on the plea of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui against his removal as IHC judge.

Lawyer Hamid Khan represented the former IHC judge in the case, while Khawaja Haris appeared before the apex court to represent former director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed and Brigadier (retd) Irfan Ramay.

The proceedings were broadcast live on the apex court’s website as well as on its YouTube channel.

At the start of the hearing, Justice Siddiqui’s lawyer urged the court to conduct a “fair inquiry” of the matter, arguing that under Article 209(6) of the Constitution, the SJC could not present a report to the country’s president without conducting an inquiry.

When asked about the allegation against his client, Hamid answered it pertained to a speech and urged the court to quash the decision against Siddiqui.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said the problem is not the speech but its text. The chief justice remarked that if a judge is removed for giving a speech, then half of the judiciary will go home.

“A judge’s code of conduct does not prevent him from speaking. The problem is when you make demands in your speech,” CJP added.

“The eyes of the entire nation are on us. Here is the question of respecting the constitutional institutions,” the chief justice stated, questioning what order should be issued by the bench in such circumstances.

Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Awan in his arguments before the court said the removal of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui as IHC judge without inquiry is against the law and constitution.

Later, the court reserved its verdict in the case.

Faiz Hameed’s response

Lt-general (retired) Faiz Hameed on Monday submitted his response to Supreme Court (SC) in connection with ex-Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Azizi Siddiqui’s petition challenging his removal.

In his response to Supreme Court’s order, the ex-ISI chief rejected the accusation leveled against him for using his influence in Shaukat Azizi Siddiqui’s removal as IHC judge.

Faiz Hameed denied any meeting with the former IHC judge saying that Siddiqui neither in his speech and nor in the judicial council made any mention of the meeting.