The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar convened to address 29 complaints submitted to them. Subsequently, the council issued a show-cause notice to Supreme Court Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi in response to ten complaints against him.
Among these complaints, nineteen were dismissed as frivolous. Nevertheless, the council made the decision to inform the judges and legal heirs of deceased individuals mentioned in the remaining complaints. In the case of Justice Naqvi, ten complaints led to the issuance of show-cause notices, with a majority of three to two in favor of this decision.
These actions were prompted by allegations against Justice Naqvi, including accusations of misconduct, misuse of authority, and having assets exceeding known sources of income. Notably, the complaints referenced audio clips, with one reportedly featuring a conversation between the judge and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.
In March, the PML-N filed a reference against Justice Naqvi under Article 209 of the Constitution, asserting that a superior court judge must strictly adhere to a code of conduct. The reference claimed that Justice Naqvi had deviated from this code by granting bail to an accused after changing lawyers.
The reference further contended that audio leaks suggested the judge was passing orders following approaches from interested parties, thereby violating his code of conduct. It alleged that Justice Naqvi had misused his authority as a judge.
In response to these complaints, the SJC initiated proceedings against Justice Naqvi. Additionally, the statement mentioned other complaints and changes in the council’s composition aimed at addressing them. The SJC is also exploring the possibility of establishing a dedicated secretariat to handle such matters more efficiently.