President Dr. Arif Alvi accepted on Thursday the resignation of Supreme Court Judge Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, said a statement from the president’s office.
The statement added that the president accepted the resignation on the advice of Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar under “Article 179 of the Constitution”.
Naqvi is not the first superior court judge to resign from his position in view of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) proceedings. So far, seven judges of the apex court, including Justice Naqvi, have resigned before completion of their terms for a variety of reasons.
Naqvi – who faces charges of misconduct – on Wednesday resigned as a judge of the Supreme Court, saying it was no longer possible for him to continue holding this position.
Read Naqvi, 7th SC judge to resign prematurely
He is accused of misconduct and is embroiled in ongoing proceedings at the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) in this connection. Ten complaints accusing Justice Naqvi of misconduct were pending in the SJC.
Earlier, the apex court turned down Justice Naqvi’s plea to halt the ongoing SJC misconduct proceedings against him.
Justice Naqvi tendered his resignation to President Alvi, in which he wrote that it was an honour for him to serve as the judge of the Lahore High Court and then the Supreme Court.
“In the circumstances which are a matter of public knowledge and to some extent public record, it is no longer possible for me to continue to serve as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” Justice Naqvi wrote in his resignation.
“Considerations of due process also compel. I, therefore, effective today resign as judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” he added.
Justice Naqvi may now be entitled to pension and other privileges after his resignation. If the SJC had removed him for misconduct, he would have lost these benefits.
Currently, two judges’ positions will be vacant in the Supreme Court.
