ISLAMABAD: Justice Ijazul Ahsan has resigned from his position as the senior judge of the Supreme Court, delivering a significant blow to the top court. His written resignation was submitted to President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday.
This development comes on the heels of the resignation of Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, who faced charges of misconduct. Justice Naqvi stepped down from his role as a judge of the Supreme Court, citing the difficulty of continuing in his position. His resignation was subsequently accepted by the president.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan
Justice Ijazul Ahsan had previously raised concerns about the proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) about complaints filed against Justice Naqvi. In a 4-page opinion, he expressed his disagreement with the majority verdict to issue show cause notices to Naqvi. He criticized the undue haste and lack of discussion in the council’s proceedings.
As the second most senior judge in the Supreme Court, Justice Ahsan was expected to become the next Chief Justice of Pakistan following the retirement of the incumbent CJP Qazi Faez Isa. However, in his resignation letter, Justice Ahsan stated that he no longer wished to continue as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Following his resignation, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah is expected to ascend to the position of chief justice later this year, as he has become the most senior judge in the Supreme Court.
During the recent SJC meeting, Justice Ahsan recused himself from attending, and the council’s proceedings continued under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa. The absence of legal representation for Justice Naqvi was noted, and the Attorney General was instructed to read out Naqvi’s resignation.
In summary, the resignation of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and the subsequent changes in the seniority list of the Supreme Court mark significant developments in the judiciary of Pakistan.
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