Chief Justice of Pakistan ‘to be’ Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan resigned

Pakistan’s next-in-line judge becoming the chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan resigned a day after Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi resigned from apex court.

Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan would have become the chief justice — the highest judicial office of Pakistan that comes with supreme power — after CJP Isa’s term concluded in October this year as Justice Tariq Masood, the senior puisne judge, would hang his robes before that.

After Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi resigned, President Dr Arif Alvi earlier today accepted his resignation, same is speculated for Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan who might be facing two separate references, but he chose stepping down instead of facing the references in SJC.

Mazahar Naqvi was facing a Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) inquiry over allegations of misconduct, a show-cause notice for which was issued in October last year.

On Tuesday, the apex court had rejected his request to stay the proceedings after which Justice Mazahar stepped down from his position as judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan.