A new turn in the Supreme Court’s saga against alleged interference in the judiciary as a 6-member bench, under the leadership of the Chief Justice, prepares to convene on April 30th.
This development comes in response to the Sumoto filed concerning the contentious letter from Islamabad High Court Judges. The freshly minted bench, spearheaded by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, includes Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Mandukhel, and Justice Athar Manullah.
Additionally, Justice Musrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan join the ranks of this judicial ensemble. Notably, Justice Yahya Afridi, who presided over the previous hearing, will not participate in this new bench, having recused himself through a written note.
However, the remaining members of the previous bench are set to continue their engagement in the proceedings.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had taken cognizance of the issue surrounding the letter penned by Islamabad High Court judges, assembling a larger 7-member bench for deliberations.
Led by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, the bench, comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Khan Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhel, Justice Athar Manullah, Justice Musrat Hilali, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, commenced proceedings on April 3rd.
The court adjourned the hearing until April 29th, citing logistical challenges due to judges’ unavailability in various locations, notably Lahore and Karachi. Chief Justise Qazi Faiz Isa expressed optimism about convening a full court in the upcoming session.
