ISLAMABAD – Islamabad High Court (IHC) Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui madeserious allegations against the country’s premier intelligence agency in ano-holds-barred speech at the Rawalpindi Bar Association on Saturday.
Justice Siddiqui, who is currently facing disciplinary proceedings at theSupreme Judicial Council for an array of allegations, accused theInter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, of manipulating the judicialproceedings. He did not share any evidence whatsoever to substantiate hisallegations, though.
Justice Siddiqui alleged that the agency had approached the IHC chiefjustice seeking assurance that deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, hisdaughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar would remainbehind the bars until July 25, the election day.
An accountability court on July 6 convicted Sharif, Maryam and Safdar inNAB’s Avenfield reference and sentenced them to 10 years, seven years andtwo years in jail, respectively.
Currently, a division bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Mohsin AkhtarKayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, is hearing the appeals ofSharif, his daughter and son-in-law against their conviction, their writpetitions and an application seeking transfer of the remaining NABreferences to any other court.
Justice Siddiqui alleged that the agency did not want him [JusticeSiddiqui] to sit on any bench hearing the applications of the Sharifs.
Justice Siddiqui further alleged how judges of superior and subordinatecourts gave in to pressure from the agency, especially, in the proceedingsagainst the members of the Sharif family.
The judge also alleged he had been offered a quid pro quo: give favourableverdicts and all references against him pending before the SJC would bedropped.
“I was offered elevation to the post of [IHC]’s chief justice in Septemberinstead of November,” he claimed. The incumbent IHC chief justice, MuhammadAnwar Khan Kasi, is expected to retire in November this year.
Justice Siddiqui is facing a reference on allegation of misconduct whichwas initiated on the complaint by a retired employee of the CapitalDevelopment Authority (CDA) for alleged refurbishment of his officialresidence beyond entitlement, allotment of a house, appointment of aresearch officer, Mumtaz Qadri’s matter, scolding government officials, andSC judge Justice Asif Saeed Khosa’s judgment regarding him and plotallotted to his alleged friend.
In February, the SJC served another show-cause notice on Justice Siddiquifor questioning the role of the army in the matter relating to theTehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Faizabad sit-in last year. Later, the judgesubmitted a reply in this regard but the council rejected it.
He claimed that he has an unblemished career and that was why he hadrequested for an open trial in the SJC. Following his application, the SJCallowed an open trial of a judge for the first time in the history ofPakistan.
Justice Siddiqui also said that 50 per cent responsibility of the country’s“current affairs lies with the judiciary while other institutions areresponsible for the rest”. He said corruption and disorder were evident inIndia too but still the neighbouring country was on path to progress.
“Political process did not stop for a single day in India. Martial law hasnever been imposed there. We are told that India is an enemy but evenIndians do not know [their] army chief’s name,” he said. He added thatIndia was progressing while Pakistan was going backwards.
Justice Siddiqui’s speech, recorded on mobile phone cameras, has gone viralon the social media, while the Indian media has also played it up.