*ISLAMABAD – Islamabad High Court announces verdict in Judge Arshad Malikvideo scandal case.*
*The Islamabad High Court repatriated on Thursday former accountabilitycourt judge Arshad Malik to the Lahore High Court for initiation of“disciplinary proceedings” against him.*
Judge Malik had sentenced former premier Nawaz Sharif to jail in theAl-Azizia Steel Mills case. Nawaz’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, had allegedthat the accountability court judge was pressured into sentencing theformer premier.
During an explosive press conference on July 6, Maryam had claimed thejudge was blackmailed into convicting Nawaz without any evidence and hadadmitted that. According to her, Judge Malik had himself called PML-Nleader Nasir Butt to his house to clear his conscience. She had also showna video clip from their meeting.
Judge Malik, however, had said the video clip was not representative oftheir conversation. He had said it was cut and edited and was notreflective of what he said. The judge had said the PML-N, more notablyNawaz’s family, tried to bribe him during the former premier’s trial andwhen he didn’t cooperate, they threatened him.
On July 12, the IHC acting chief justice had asked the Ministry of Law toremove Judge Malik from his position as an accountability court judge untilan investigation into the video scandal was completed.
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The IHC, in a notification issued today, said the disclosures made by thejudge in his earlier press release and affidavit with regard to the videoscandal “constitute acts of misconduct and violation of the code ofconduct”.
“The disclosures and admissions made by Mr Mohammad Arshad Malik… primafacie, constitute acts of misconduct and violation of the code of conduct,which warrant initiation of disciplinary proceedings against him,” read theIHC notification.
“Therefore, the honourable chief justice of this court has been pleased toorder to place the said judicial officer under suspension and repatriate[him] to his parent department i.e. Lahore High Court, Lahore withimmediate effect, for disciplinary proceedings to be conducted inaccordance with law.”
The judge was also summoned to the IHC and informed about the orders.
