PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council on Tuesday announced it had filed a complaint/reference before the Supreme Judicial Council against a Supreme Court judge, calling for initiating misconduct proceedings against him.

According to a press release issued here, the reference was filed against Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi by the bar’s vice-chairman Zarbadshah Khan and its executive committee’s chairman Mubashir Shah under Article 209 of the Constitution.

It was stated that the recent audio leaks purportedly of the said judge showed that he was an ‘approachable’ judge and had not remained impartial in serious matters of political and constitutional importance.

It was stated that under the Constitution of Pakistan it was the mandate of a bar council to raise voice and struggle for rule of law and establishment of an independent and impartial judiciary.

The two office-bearers have expressed the hope that the Supreme Judicial Council would convene a meeting soon and would start proceedings on the complaint under the prescribed rules so that the said judge could be made accountable.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2023