IHC deicdes to remove accountability judge Arshad Malik

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided to remove accountability judge, Justice Arshad Malik, from his office over the scandalous videotapes.

The IHC acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq on Friday directed the registrar office to write a letter to the law ministry regarding “relieving judge Malik of his post and repatriating him to the parent department, the Lahore High Court (LHC), a private media house reported citing sources.

As per section 5A of the National Accountability Ordinance, the law ministry, with the consent of the chief justice of a high court, appoints judges for special courts including accountability courts. Apparently, the decision to remove Justice Malik has also been made in light of the aforementioned section.

A day earlier, Judge Malik called on Justice Amir Farooq for the second time after an alleged videotape was released by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on June 6 wherein the judge could be heard saying that the decision against Nawaz was “forced”.

The leaked video opened a Pandora’s box as Maryam claimed that the judge had been “pressurized and blackmailed” to convict her father in the case.

However, in a presser the following day, judge Malik refuted the accusation the following that and dubbed the video as a “conspiracy” to “affect his credibility”.