The Supreme Court of Pakistan has recently issued notices to several individuals, including former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Faiz Hameed, in a case linked to the removal of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui as a judge of the Islamabad High Court.
The court, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, resumed hearing Siddiqui’s petition challenging his 2018 dismissal by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
The SJC had determined that Siddiqui, in a speech, displayed “conduct unbecoming of a high court judge” by accusing the ISI of meddling in the formation of benches for cases related to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In his amended petition, Siddiqui named seven individuals, including former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, but the court noted that some were not directly linked to the case.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Isa urged Siddiqui’s counsel, Hamid Khan, to reconsider the allegations suggesting a desire for power post the 2018 elections. Khan affirmed the accuracy of the allegations, prompting Chief Justice Isa to caution against using serious allegations for ulterior motives.
The Chief Justice questioned whether there was an attempt to install someone else in the Prime Minister’s Office, raising concerns about the imprisonment of one individual possibly favoring another. Justice Isa highlighted the omission of the “direct beneficiary” from the petition and stressed the need to correct past mistakes while assuring adherence to the Constitution.
This case holds significant implications for judicial independence and institutional integrity in Pakistan, as it navigates a complex landscape of allegations, constitutional principles, and potential political motivations.
The Supreme Court’s decision and subsequent proceedings are awaited with keen interest as they unfold in January after the vacation period.