Islamabad: Pakistan Supreme Judicial council approved amendments to the code of conduct for Judges of Supreme Court and High Court barring them from any media interaction, political commentary, attending any social, cultural, political and diplomatic functions. The Council introduced new Articles to the Code of Conduct passed by a majority, aiming at reinforcement of judicial integrity and impartiality.
Chief Justice chaired the meeting. Chief Justice Lahore High Court Alia Neelam and Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Sardar Sarfraz Dogar attended in person, while Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar joined virtually via video link. The Supreme Judicial Council examined complaints filed by various individuals, unanimously discarding 65 out of 67. It postponed one complaint and approved another for further action by a majority vote.
According to the recent amendments in Article XIII, “If a judge solicits invitations to attend conferences or meetings from foreign or international organizations, it will be considered misconduct. In cases where a judge receives an invitation in a personal capacity, they must inform the inviter to route the invitation through the relevant Chief Justice.” Furthermore, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has also restricted judges from accepting dinner or reception invitations hosted in their honour by individual members of the Bar.
According to Article XV, “A judge must remain uninfluenced by any factor other than merit. They are expected to demonstrate both intellectual capability and moral integrity to maintain independence and firmness against any form of pressure, whether internal or external.” The article further states, “If no legal remedies are available, the judge must promptly seek an institutional response.”
