ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, President Dr. Arif Alvi accepted the resignation of Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, who decided to shed his robe following allegations of misconduct.
It is stated by the president’s office that Dr. Arif Alvi accepted the resignation of Justice Naqvi on the recommendation of the caretaker prime minister under Article 179.
Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Naqvi submitted his resignation to the president a day ago because he thought that now he was not capable of performing his duties as a supreme court judge.
A few complaints of misconduct were reported against him by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and Pakistan Bar Committee (PBC) by lawyers looking for his removal, especially after his title was linked to a recent audio leak.
Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi wrote: “It was an honour to be appointed and to serve as a Judge first of the Lahore High Court, Lahore and then as the Supreme Court of Pakistan.” It was now not possible for him to proceed to serve as a judge of the Supreme Court.
He has also mentioned in his resignation letter that “Considerations of due process also compel. I, therefore, effective today resign as judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”
The acquiscense came after three members of the tribunal bar, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan, and Justice Musarrat Hilali, rejected the judge’s application. Then Justice Naqvi requested a stay of SJC actions.
On October 27, last year, Justice Naqvi received a show cause notice issued by SJC in the midst of several complaints charging seat control and monetary offense.
In his reaction, the Supreme Court’s judge highlighted issues with the inquiry and called for Justice Qazi Faez Isa (Chief Justice of Pakistan) and two other judges to not be involved in this matter.
On November 20, he argued against the SJC actions and also asked about the show cause notice he received from the Council. He stated that actions against him were not legally valid and unauthorized.
Afterwards, on November 22, a second show cause notice was given by SJC,in which they demanded a comprehensive response related to allegations raised by several petitioners.
On January 4, then, Justice Naqvi filed a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan in which he highlighted several complaints of misbehaviour against him as an obvious and fragrant attack on the judiciary’s independence.
Moreover, it’s important to notice that the name of the Supreme Court’s judge has also been mentioned in the context of recent audio leaks that allegibly include him, former chief minister of Punjab Parvez Elahi, and other individuals.
On March 16, 2020, Justice Naqvi was promoted to the Supreme Court. But earlier, in January 2020, when he was a judge in the Lahore High Court (LHC), he ruled in support of former military dictator General Pervez Musharaf.
Justice Naqvi, Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, and Justice Chaudhry Masood Jahangir were included on the bench of the Lahore Hogh Court (LHC).
The Supreme Court expelled the controversial decision of the LHC on the same day he resigned.
Another shocking news and an important point to notice is that Justice Aijazul Ahsan was slated to be the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) after CJP Qazi Faez Isa. He also resigned a day after the resignation of Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.
