Islamabad, October 18, 2025:
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has dismissed 70 out of 74 complaints filed against judges across the country, while three complaints have been approved for further proceedings and one has been deferred for the time being. The decisions were made during the Council’s recent sessions held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.
According to an official press release, the Supreme Judicial Council held two separate meetings to review the pending complaints and to discuss amendments to the Code of Conduct for Judges. The Council, through a majority vote, approved several amendments aimed at strengthening judicial accountability and ensuring ethical standards in the judiciary.
The first meeting was attended by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Chief Justice Aaliya Neelum of the Lahore High Court, and Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar of the Islamabad High Court. During this session, a total of 67 complaints filed under Article 209 of the Constitution of Pakistan were reviewed. Out of these, 65 complaints were unanimously dismissed, one was deferred, and one complaint was approved for further investigation through a majority decision.
Due to the non-participation of the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court in the subsequent session, the Council was reconstituted, and the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court joined in his place for the second meeting.
In this session, the Council examined seven additional complaints. After deliberation, the members decided by majority vote to proceed with two complaints, while five were dismissed due to lack of merit or insufficient evidence.
The official communiqué stated that since October 2024, the Supreme Judicial Council has reviewed a total of 155 complaints against judges serving in various superior courts. Of these, 74 complaints have been decided, while 87 remain under preliminary consideration.
The Council emphasized that the review of complaints follows a rigorous and transparent process, ensuring that judges are held accountable only where credible evidence exists. The decisions are made collectively by senior members of the judiciary to uphold the integrity, independence, and public trust in Pakistan’s judicial system.
