The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and four High Court bar associations have jointly called upon Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to initiate investigations into a letter penned by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), alleging interference in judicial affairs.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the SCBA underscored the importance of upholding the sanctity of judges’ privacy and judicial independence. They vehemently opposed any encroachment upon judicial autonomy, emphasizing their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the judiciary.
Concurrently, bar associations from Islamabad, Lahore, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh echoed similar concerns over the situation, urging the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter.
Questions were raised regarding the circumstances necessitating the collective drafting of the letter by the judges, with a stern reminder that any compromise on constitutional principles would be deemed unacceptable.
Meanwhile, a petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court, advocating for transparent investigations into the letter issued by the six IHC judges. Filed by Mian Dawood, the petition urges the establishment of an authorized commission to delve into the allegations of judicial interference.
Dawood argued that the letter’s contents risk tarnishing the judiciary’s reputation, emphasizing the need for impartial scrutiny into the matter. He further asserted that the Supreme Judicial Council’s jurisdiction does not extend to such disputes and lamented the absence of specific evidence cited by the judges in their letter.
