PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court Bar Association on Friday welcomed the removal of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui by the president of Pakistan on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council and said the association had always stood for rule of law, democracy and constitution.

A press release issued here by PHCBA President Syed Abdul Fayyaz stated: “While maintaining its traditional role, we welcome and appreciate the act of self-accountability by SJC, under the patronage of Chief Justice of Pakistan.”

“The removal of Mr Siddiqui from the chair of a judge of Islamabad High Court is due to his visible conduct of unbecoming of a judge, is in accordance with relevant law, as the speech made by him is quite clear on the subject,” he stated.

He said: “We demand that all pending references should be decided immediately, without any loss of time, to ensure the effective performance of superior court judges. We believe that under the leadership of the CJP judiciary is performing well.”

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2018