The Islamabad High Court Bar has taken a significant step by petitioning the Supreme Court for an investigation into allegations made by Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges regarding interference by intelligence agencies.
According to the details, the plea submitted by the Islamabad High Court Bar calls for a transparent investigation into the controversy surrounding the letter and demands action against those responsible for undermining the integrity of the IHC judges.
The plea stresses the crucial role of an independent judiciary in ensuring justice for all citizens and asserts that any compromise on judicial freedom is unacceptable.
It’s worth noting that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa took suo moto notice of the letter from IHC judges on April 1, wherein they alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.
The letter, authored by several top judges of the IHC, including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Baqir Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Salman Rafat Imtiaz, was addressed to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) following the Supreme Court’s ruling on March 22 regarding Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s dismissal case.
In their letter, the judges sought clarification from the SJC regarding the duty of a judge to report and address actions by executive members, including intelligence agency personnel, that impede the discharge of their official duties and constitute intimidation.
During the initial hearing on April 3, CJP Qazi Faez Isa hinted at convening a full court session for further examination of the suo moto notice concerning the IHC judges’ allegations. At the onset of the hearing, the CJP instructed the attorney general to provide the press release issued after the full court meeting.
