ISLAMABAD, July 18: Reacting to the reference filed by the prime minister’s chief coordinator against a judge of Islamabad High Court (IHC), the bar association of Islamabad on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution to support the bench.

Prime minister’s chief coordinator Faisal Sakhi Butt, a local leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), on July 13 moved a reference in the Supreme Judicial Council against IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, when the court was considering options to hold Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Mr Butt responsible for corrupt practices, the resolution alleged.

The resolution was moved by three lawyers – Saeed Khursheed, Riasat Ali Azad and Niazullah Niazi – and was unanimously passed by the general body of Islamabad bar.

The resolution said Justice Siddiqui is an honest judge who passed orders against a supposedly corrupt mafia functioning in different government departments, including CDA, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, housing foundation and Islamabad police.

The resolution stated that the so-called corrupt mafia is conspiring against the learned judge and has started a malicious campaign against him, adding that the recent filing of reference against the judge was also part of a malicious campaign to malign the judicial system.

Islamabad bar, in a general statement, urged other judges to deal with the corrupt mafia with an iron hand in order to end the miseries of the common man.

According to Javed Akbar Shah, president Islamabad bar association, Faisal Sakhi Butt filed the reference against the judge, when the court was about to pass an order against him for allegedly being involved in corruption.

He also said that some CDA officials tried to intimidate the court by staring at the judge with anger – during court proceedings – and also hatching conspiracies against honest judges in their offices and private meetings. He further added that bar associations are under an obligation to express solidarity with judges at this critical juncture, for the sake of rule of law.