SC Justice Mazahar Naqvi faces another reference in SJC over audio leak

ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Friday filed a reference against Supreme Court’s Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi in the Supreme Judicial Council seeking an action against him over alleged misconduct after he came under spotlight following audio leaks purportedly involving him, former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi and others.

Last month, a lawyer Mian Dawood filed a reference against Justice Naqvi for having alleged assets beyond means.

The references were filed against him the PML-N named two top court judges for being biased against the party and its leadership. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had shared a leaked audio at a press conference wherein Elahi can be heard allegedly talking about managing courts.

The PBC has filed its complaint against the sitting judge in the SJC under Section 5(1) of the Supreme Judicial Council Procedure of Inquiry, 2005 read with Article 2009 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

“Article-III of the Code of conduct requires a judge to be about the approach and for this purpose to keep his conduct in all things, official and/or private, free from impropriety is expected of a judge. The conduct exhibited and displayed by the respondent judge in audio leaks is a clear violation of the referred article,” the reference alleged.

The PBC stated that the former chief minister, in the leaked audio, “is found to be clearly instructing a learned counsel to get an important case fixed before the respondent judge”. It also raised questions over the assets owned by the judge and demanded an inquiry into the matter.