ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council has formally requested President Arif Alvi to remove Justice Shaukat Siddiqui from his post as senior judge of the Islamabad High Court.

The council has been conducting proceedings against the senior judge over a controversial speech which he delivered at the District Bar Rawalpindi on July 21.

Justice Shaukat had alleged intelligence agencies of manipulating the judicial procedure and claimed he was not involved in corruption. He even appealed to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to hold an open trial.

His remarks led to the Pakistan Army issuing a statement in which it requested the Supreme Court to launch an investigation into the allegations leveled against state institutions.

“An honourable judge of Islamabad High Court of Pakistan has leveled serious allegations against state institutions including honorable judiciary and the premier state intelligence agency,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in its statement.

“Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan had been requested to launch inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the allegations leveled against state institutions,” it added.

The Supreme Judicial Council on July 31 served a show-cause notice to Justice Siddiqui, who later submitted his replies before the council.