Orya Maqbool Jan, Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui trade Twitter barbs

Former bureaucrat and columnist Orya Maqbool Jan and Justice (retd) Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui exchanged harsh words on the micro-blogging website, Twitter, which is making rounds on social media.

The Twitter spat was instigated when the senior columnist, on his official account, hailed the former judge for agreeing to fight a case of slain journalist Arshad Sharif — who was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity” in Kenya in October last year.

“It is Justice [retd] Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s faith that helped him fight Arshad Sharif's case. When he was a serving judge, all the seculars, including Asma Jahangir, were critical of him. May Almighty Allah give him perseverance and triumph," Jan wrote on his official handle.

It is pertinent to mention here that President Arif Alvi removed Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui as a judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in October 2018 in line with the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) as the body had found him guilty of misconduct in connection with his speech delivered before the Rawalpindi District Bar Association. Later, he returned to law practice.

The ex-judged expressed wonder over remarks by the former bureaucrat and recalled that Maqbool Jan had subjected him to severe criticisms after his July 21 speech in 2018.

Taking a swipe at the columnist, Siddiqui said that he [Jan] was in a sense of pride and arrogance as he was close to the powerful circles at that time.

In a series of tweets, the ex-judge said that he didn't give him the right to pass remarks about his faith and other affairs.

Expressing his anger for the former bureaucrat, Siddiqui further said: “You would never be my choice if I have to pick between you and Asma Jahangir.”

The ex-judge added that he spent his entire life with truth. “I did not sell wisdom and rights.”

Lashing out at the columnist, the former judge said that like Jan, neither he sell his love for the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) nor change his opinion by sensing the direction of the winds. 

He called the columnist a “hypocrite” and said he fully respected his oath as judge and never made mischief.

Amid the online spat, Maqbool Jan said if he was so honest, he would not have endorsed the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, an Elite Force commando convicted of killing former Punjab governor Salman Taseer. He went on to say that the ex-judge should have excused himself from hearing the case.

Slamming Siddiqui, Jan said: "You did not show as much love to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as you showed to Nawaz Sharif.”