SC to take up sacked judge’s appeal against dismissal

The Supreme Court will take up on Monday the petition of sacked judge of Islamabad High Court Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui challenging the presidential notification of his dismissal from service.

The court was due to hear the petition on May 31 but was adjourned until June 2 and on the day, it was “partially heard”, a petition filed by Siddiqui on June 3 said.

Siddiqui was dismissed in October 2018 on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council following an investigation into his accusation of the spy agency interfering in judicial proceedings to influence the general election held in July that year.

“The President of Pakistan has been pleased to remove Mr Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui […] from his office with immediate effect,” the Ministry of Law and Justice said in a notification.

A five-member larger bench headed by Justice Umer Ata Bandial — and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah — will hear the request.

Siddiqui had filed an application in the apex court on April 28, requesting for fixing his case at the earliest, before his retirement on June 30.

Siddiqui is also being investigated for alleged misconduct over the allocation and refurbishment of his official residence. He has denied the charges.

In a separate 2018 ruling that human rights advocates called a blow for the minorities, Siddiqui said citizens who hid their religious affiliation were guilty of betraying the state and told government jobseekers to declare their faith.