APD | Pakistani president removes senior judge over discipline violation

By APD writer Muhammad Sohail

**ISLAMABAD, Oct. 12 (APD) -- **Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Thursday removed senior judge of Islamabad High Court on the charges of loose talk before the public and serious violations of discipline, said a notification issued by the law ministry.

The president took the decision to remove Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui after the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of the country recommended his removal, the statement added.

A letter written by the SJC had emerged earlier in the day, in which the council, comprising five Supreme Court judges, had said it found Justice Siddiqui guilty of misconduct over a public speech he delivered in July earlier this year.

The SJC is a constitutional forum that examines the conduct of superior court judges and then recommends their removal from the top post.

While addressing an audience, Justice Siddiqui had claimed that personnel of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was manipulating judicial proceedings. However, he had offered no evidence to support the claims he made.

The IHC judge was facing a reference over his controversial speech, the third reference filed against him.

In a statement issued in response to the decision of his removal, Justice Siddiqui said the decision was "not unexpected" for him.

"This reference was not heard in open court despite my demand and the clear verdict of the Supreme Court, and neither was a commission formed to examine the facts described in my speech", said the judge, adding that he was completely satisfied with the requisites of his conscience.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)