ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has sought explanations from two High Court judges over alleged misconduct complaints filed against them.
It is learned that the SJC, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, has formally asked the two judges to respond to the allegations. One of the judges currently sits in the Sindh High Court (SHC), while the other sits in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
One of the judges was asked to explain why she accompanied sacked IHC judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri when he appeared before the SHC.
In September 2025, a complaint was filed against her at the SJC. The complainant alleged that Jahangiri had gone to Karachi to hear a fake degree case, and the respondent judge had canceled her seat docket from September 24 to 26 and appeared alongside Justice Jahangiri at the SHC.
The plaintiff further stated that the respondent judge had struck out cases without any personal or official justification, adding that a judge cannot appear before another judge.
It was also alleged that the respondent judge attempted to influence the SHC judges and violated her oath and the code of judicial ethics.
The SJC also sought an explanation from another judge on allegations that the right of audience was not granted in a “sensitive matter.” It is learned that the council recently decided to seek explanations from the two judges and has now officially started the process.
Interestingly, both justices were signatories to the widely discussed “famous letter” to the SJC, seeking advice on allegations of interference by executive agencies in judicial functions.
In March 2024, six IHC judges wrote an open letter to the SJC, alleging intimidation and “brazen interference” in court matters by an intelligence agency in politically important cases.
The case remains pending due to ongoing suo motu proceedings.
Senior lawyers say the SJC’s history suggests it has often been more active against judges who are not considered to be in the executive branch’s good books.
On Thursday, the SJC also considered complaints of misconduct against its own members. However, the council’s statement did not clearly state the outcome or fate of these complaints.
It is noteworthy that before his dismissal, former IHC judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri had filed a misconduct complaint against the current IHC chief justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, who is also a member of the council.
Jahangiri had alleged that CJ Dogar was under “immense pressure” to expeditiously dispose of the quo warrant petition against him.
According to the complaint, Justice Dogar suggested, directly and indirectly, that if Jahangiri submitted a post-dated resignation and delivered it to a safe place, it would help alleviate external pressure and allow the proceedings to be concluded.
In his complaint, Jahangiri further alleged that the chief justice had not been “truthful”.
He claimed that an order announced in open court on September 16, 2025, was “diametrically opposed and completely inconsistent” with a subsequent order from the House.
The second order, he claimed, was issued in a “misleading manner.”
The fate of this complaint against the IHC Chief Justice remains unclear.
