Additional attorney general Zahid F. Ebrahim resigns citing govt's 'attempt to browbeat judiciary'
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Additional attorney general Zahid F. Ebrahim on Wednesday tendered his resignation to President Arif Alvi in reaction to the purported filing of references against some senior judges of the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court — a development he described as "reckless attempt to browbeat the judiciary".
The additional attorney general, in his resignation, said it was reported in the media that he [President Alvi] has directed "the Supreme Judicial Council to inquire into the alleged misconduct of certain senior judges of the Sindh High Court and the Supreme Court under Article 209 of the Constitution on the pretext of undeclared foreign assets".
The same has been confirmed to me by persons at the highest levels of the government, he added.
Ebrahim stated that one of the "references is against a senior Supreme Court judge who is widely recognised for his unimpeachable integrity and against whom the government has already revealed its mind in the much publicised review petitions in S.M.C. No.7 of 2017 filed last month".
The state prosecutor alleged that the filing of references "is not about accountability of judges but is a reckless attempt to tar the reputation of independent individuals and could cause irreparable damage to the institution which is the protector of our fundamental rights and the bedrock of our fledgling democracy".
"In the view of the above, I cannot in good conscience continue in office," Ebrahim added.
It is pertinent to mention here that in April the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had filed a petition — S.M.C. No.7 of 2017 — against the Supreme Court's Feb 6 verdict on the 2017 Faizabad sit-in. In the petition, the PTI had accused the author judge of being "biased".
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Comments (54) Closed
May 29, 2019 07:22pm
All the subordinate institution is busy doing is to manage the core state institutions.
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May 29, 2019 07:26pm
Good riddance.
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May 29, 2019 07:47pm
No one is above law....
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May 29, 2019 07:59pm
Nobody wants accountability.
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May 29, 2019 08:14pm
@Osama, soon this same riddance will be used for Khan as well and then you should say the same.
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May 29, 2019 08:32pm
Shame on the government
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May 29, 2019 08:38pm
If they have not done anything wrong,Why worry ?
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May 29, 2019 08:46pm
All powerful people fighting amongst themselves while the poor fight against inflation and joblessness.
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May 29, 2019 09:00pm
No sane person can acknowledge the doings of this govt The five acts paranoid with no direction lost as ever
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May 29, 2019 09:06pm
Accept the resignation. No one is above law
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May 29, 2019 09:18pm
An extremely wise decision. Brave man.
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May 29, 2019 09:20pm
No good people can work in this country because crooks are very influential..... sad day for pakistan....
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May 29, 2019 09:26pm
One resignation daily keeps Pakistan growing?
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May 29, 2019 09:34pm
so you want to play for the other team.
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May 29, 2019 10:56pm
No one is above law. Judges should be taken to task if they are guilty. Investigation should be conducted against them. Are they above law? This attorney ngeneral should also be investigated . Why is he afraid of accountability.
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May 29, 2019 11:01pm
We and they, all eat buying from the same markets.
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May 29, 2019 11:03pm
Simple question does he own undeclared foreign property or not?? YES or NO?
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May 29, 2019 11:26pm
Zahid F. Ebrahim is a man of conscience. Best of luck to him!
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May 29, 2019 11:33pm
There is a right wat and a wrong way to do things especially at the top ..... if done wrong it could badly backfire.
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May 29, 2019 11:40pm
PTI should have cleaned up the house and gotten rid of the Nawaz era vestiges as soon as they came to power. These NS stooges are hell bent to embarrass PTI government.
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May 29, 2019 11:40pm
Highly commendable decision. We need independent judiciary more than anything else. Otherwise we will keep seeing reincarnation of those who invented 'the law of necessity'.
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May 29, 2019 11:43pm
If he does not agree with facts, he is better off staying away.
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May 29, 2019 11:56pm
So you want accountability of politicians only ? Please clarify. Are they untouchables ? Are sacred cows ?
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May 29, 2019 11:57pm
Everyone should be accountable in Pakistan. Judges are also not above the law.
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May 30, 2019 12:02am
Why is this hue and cry if they don’t have un declared properties let the law be the same for every one , why in this country jitters start on the mere thought of accountability?
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May 30, 2019 12:09am
Justice Qazi appears to have integrity.
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May 30, 2019 12:12am
Brewing destabilisation....
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May 30, 2019 12:19am
If judges have done nothing wrong, they should not be scared.
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May 30, 2019 12:29am
Complaining against a judge is not a crime.
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May 30, 2019 12:32am
This is a breaking point for judiciary. Judges must unite to close the chapter of blackmailing.
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May 30, 2019 01:15am
Certainly the judicial system in Pakistan needs to be made more efficient and smooth. If the court systems cannot do this then the government has to take the initiative within the norms of the law that allows to put things in order. I fully support this initiative for the good of the country.
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May 30, 2019 01:21am
When a judge write remarks based on his opinion and not on the spirit and object of the law, when he or she allows an accused to manipulate the law in favor of an accused too obvious to be seen as favoritism, that judge lost his or her credibility. Judge should not consider to be untouchable all unimpeachable. There should be strict guideline for judges to follow at all levels of judiciary which should be proactively enforced by Superior Judicial Counsel and no references should be required. It is not only on others to uphold judiciary to their high ground it's to them first. One bad decision, one strike, two bad decisions two and third they should be our. They are human and should be treated as such, not Gods. We don't need judges like Justice Qayum or Iftikhar. If a bad judgment caused Nation to pay billions of dollars for contract breach to a foreign company that judge should be held responsible, and if found careless and politically motivated be punished, just like other humans.
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May 30, 2019 01:45am
@N khan, What a ridiculously absurd statement to make.How would you feel about defending yourself in court for just doing your job honestly? Imran khan and his mindless fascist supporters are so driven by hate that fundamentals of justice and fairness are completely lost on them.I hope everyone of them is given the same treatment that gave to others
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May 30, 2019 01:49am
What a farce of a govt.!
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May 30, 2019 02:14am
What a courageous decision by the AAG. And what a total shame that the Fascist government of Imran and PTI is trying to victimise the honest and principled judges. Don't forget that Gen Musharraf tried this same trick and the lawyers and the whole nation rose against him. If Imran wants to stick around for a while he'd better learn a serious lesson and drop such slimy tactics.
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May 30, 2019 02:23am
Slick trick. A few years prior to retirement just resigns to earn political capital.
Ask him where was he when the Mafia was looting the land.
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May 30, 2019 02:41am
PTI should concentrate on helping the provinces improve our education and health systems and reduce unemployment rather than trying to interfere with our judges' rulings, especially those coming from judges of "unimpeachable integrity." It goes to show how vulnerable PTI is to our religious right wing.
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May 30, 2019 02:58am
Selective justice in full swing.
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May 30, 2019 03:15am
By appearance - looks like a person of achievement but actions are showing otherwise. Siding against accountability is like siding with corruption.
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May 30, 2019 03:43am
Very unfortunate and sorriest state of affairs.Pakistan has always been wrecked by inside elements who do not want rule of law but want huge perks and privileges. Justice Isa is honourable man who had the gumption to speak in unequivocal terms to emenies of this country.
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May 30, 2019 04:12am
Why can't the judges be investigated?
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May 30, 2019 04:23am
Laudable decision!
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May 30, 2019 04:27am
There has to be balance and counter balance at all levels, that include judiciary.
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May 30, 2019 04:38am
These people do not resign against corruption but only when there is accountability of their won organisation. We seem to be morally bankrupt....
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May 30, 2019 04:50am
Seems all competent people are leaving from most important posts due to incompetence govt
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May 30, 2019 04:51am
The cat is out the box now.
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May 30, 2019 04:51am
@N khan, this type of blames are enough for innocents ppl
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May 30, 2019 05:20am
The president directed "the Supreme Judicial Council to inquire into the alleged misconduct of certain senior judges of the Sindh High Court and the Supreme Court under Article 209 of the Constitution on the pretext of undeclared foreign assets".
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May 30, 2019 05:43am
Ik has been very slow in making important decisions...his delay in taking these actions will cost him dearly!
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May 30, 2019 06:47am
Good step by the government and cheap pupolarity by the ex additional attorney general Zahid.... No one is above the law... No one...
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May 30, 2019 07:10am
Where does his loyalties? More corrupt bureaucracy should be removed too
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May 30, 2019 08:13am
PTI exposed. Shame on PTI
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May 30, 2019 09:11am
Well Done, Mr. Zahid. Since I came to know about Honorable Justice Essa, the only Judge who gives right decisions and lines to determine for better future of law and common man... Govt became party against him.. Strange.
This is true, No one is above the law only if you are in opposition or a fear to Govt. However, there is an exception to this General Rule, PM's sister and other Cutlery around PM, who you will find always close to PM sahib... untouchables and surely above the law.
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May 30, 2019 01:19pm
This is called character. Huge respect.
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