LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday clarified that a civil judge, who tendered his resignation in support of 27th Amendment, faces disciplinary proceedings for persistent absence.

According to the LHC spokesperson, civil judge Syed Jahanzaib Bukhari has been deliberately absent from duty for a prolonged period and the high court had ordered action against him for his absence and failure to rejoin duty.

The spokesperson stated that the LHC administration committee ordered departmental and disciplinary proceedings against the civil judge under the relevant rules.

Following the committee’s decision, the civil judge released his purported resignation on social media, the spokesperson said and clarified that the LHC had not yet received any resignation.

Jahanzaib Bukhari has earlier resigned in support of 27th Amendment

In his purported 15-page resignation, civil judge Bukhari delivers a scathing indictment against the superior judiciary, accusing it of institutional corruption, political manipulation and creating a protected ‘judicial aristocracy.’

The resignation addressed to LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, outlines a litany of historical and recent misconduct, asserting that the judiciary has failed to uphold justice and has actively undermined the country’s democratic foundations.

The judge, who served for 16 years, states that he resigned in support of the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments as his resignation was driven by a deep conviction that “even the worst form of democracy is better than any polished face of authoritarianism.”

His main argument is the existence of a ‘judicial aristocracy’ that has consistently legitimized extra-constitutional experiments.

The resignation directly accuses the superior courts of providing legal shields to dictators, introducing the doctrine of necessity and enabling the judicial murder of former political leaders.

The judge cites alleged corruption and audio scandals involving the families of senior judges -- including former chief justices Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Saqib Nisar and Umar Ata Bandial -- alleging that the institution is skilled in burying its own scandals instead of ensuring transparent accountability.

He also narrates the plight of the district judiciary, which he calls the “actual backbone of Pakistan’s justice system, stating that its members are routinely abused, humiliated and suffocated by the superior courts.

He states that the district judges face crushing workloads and are subjected to demoralising inquiries based on single, often frivolous complaints, while superior judges remain insulated from scrutiny despite nationwide controversy.

The resignation also includes personal accounts to illustrate the alleged indifference and institutional contempt shown by senior administration.

Judge Bukhari, at present posted as research officer in the LHC, recounts being denied leave under the pretence of national cause when his wife suffered a severe brain haemorrhage during pregnancy, resulting in the tragic loss of their seven-month-old son.

He further states that his recent request for leave to be beside his father, who is suffering from terminal liver cancer, was also ignored, with high court staff reportedly instructed not to answer his calls.

In his conclusion, the judge requested parliament, as the constitutional guardian of the people’s will, to initiate a transparent inquiry into all members of the superior judiciary whose conduct, alliances, or family-linked controversies have compromised their constitutional oath.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2025