On Thursday, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, the third senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, tendered his resignation, creating a significant development in the judiciary. While the reasons for his resignation remain undisclosed, it has reshaped the trajectory of senior appointments within the apex court.
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Justice Ijazul Ahsan submitted his resignation to President Arif Alvi, marking an unexpected turn in his career. As the third senior-most judge, he was poised to assume the role of Chief Justice in October this year. The circumstances surrounding his resignation have added an air of mystery to this decision.
The timing is crucial as Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, the second-most senior judge, is set to retire on March 10, 2024. Following Justice Ijazul Ahsan’s resignation and Justice Sardar Tariq’s impending retirement, Justice Mansoor is slated to ascend as the most senior judge on the Supreme Court.
This development follows closely on the heels of the resignation of Justice (retd) Naqvi, who stepped down amid a Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) reference related to allegations of misconduct and the accumulation of wealth beyond his means. President Arif Alvi accepted Justice Naqvi’s resignation on the same day.
Notably, Justice Ijazul Ahsan had previously declined to join his fellow SJC members in issuing a new show-cause notice to Justice Naqvi on November 22, 2023. In a letter to the SJC, Justice Ahsan expressed regret over the hurried proceedings, citing the absence of proper debate and discussion during the council sessions. He raised concerns about the lack of a reasoned and deliberative approach in the proceedings and emphasized the baselessness of the allegations against Justice Naqvi.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan, known for his pivotal role in the Panamagate case in 2017, had served as the monitoring judge overseeing the implementation of the case’s verdict. Having held the position of Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court and later elevated to the Supreme Court judge, his resignation marks a significant moment in the legal landscape of Pakistan.
