Pakistan's top judicial body bars judges from media interaction

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), the country's top judicial body for judges, has approved amendments to the code of conduct for judges of the supreme court and high courts.

At a meeting held here on Saturday with Chief Justice Yahya Afridi in chair, the proposed amendments were approved by majority decision.

According to a statement released at the website of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the updated code of conduct prohibits judges from engaging in public controversies through speech, writing, debate, or comment at any forum, and bars them from interacting with media.

The code emphasized that judges must maintain conduct above reproach, both in official and private life, and remain free from impropriety, said the SJC.

Under the amended rules, judges must decline to hear any case involving their personal interests or those of near relatives or close friends. They are also required to refrain from business dealings with any party to a case before them. ■