ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday approved retirement notification of former judge of Islamabad High Court Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, restoring his benefits and reputation that was marred due to his dismissal from service seven years ago.

According to the Presidency, the president approved the notification with effect from June 30, 2021.

“In the light of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s judgement of 22.03.2024, President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the issuance of retirement notification of Mr Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, on attaining the age of superannuation, i.e., with effect from 30.06.2021,” an official press release said.

The president approved the issuance of retirement notification under Article 195 of the Constitution.

The president also approved the withdrawal of the Law and Justice Division’s notification, dated 11.10.2018, regarding Mr Siddiqui’s removal as judge of the IHC.

It has been learnt that when Justice Siddiqui was removed for pointing out alleged meddling of spy agencies in the court’s affairs, he was about to become the chief justice of the IHC.

Although, President Zardari restored Justice Siddiqui’s lost reputation, the suffering and pain he went through due to his forced removal could not be compensated.

Justice Siddiqui was removed as judge of the IHC, vide notification dated 11.10.2018, upon the recommendations of the Supreme Judicial Council of Pakistan, under Article 209(6) of the Constitution.

In the latest development, the president approved the proposals of the Ministry of Law and Justice on the advice of the prime minister.

In his petition in the Supreme Court, the former judge had challenged the decision of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) about his dismissal from service and an Oct 11, 2018 notification under which he was removed for a speech he had delivered at the Rawalpindi Bar Association.

In his speech, Justice Siddiqui had accused the ISI of influencing the court proceedings and forming benches of choice.

On January 22, former ISI director general retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed had submitted his response to Justice Siddiqui’s petition in which he rejected allegations of his involvement in constituting IHC benches to prolong the detention of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

The former spymaster claimed that Justice Siddiqui had dragged him into the case for no reason.

The Supreme Court had noted that a “delay that occurred in hearing and deciding these petitions meant that in the interregnum, Justice Siddiqui attained the age of 62 years, at which age a judge of the high court retires. Therefore, Justice Siddiqui cannot be restored to the position of judge,” the verdict had said.

Expressing his gratitude to the Supreme Court, Justice Siddiqui had said the verdict not only represented the defeat of all those individuals who manipulated events and court affairs but also the judicial set-up of the time collaborating with them.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2024