'We will not tolerate any interference in judicial affairs,' says CJP Isa

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa Wednesday that the Supreme Court will not tolerate any interference in judicial affairs and is taking the letter by Islamabad High Court judges “very seriously”.

The chief justice further remarked that the letter mentions the Supreme Judicial Council, indicating that it does not address the Supreme Court.

CJP Isa’s remark came during the hearing of SC’s suo motu notice taken on the letter written by Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges that cites complaints of interference in judicial affairs by intelligence agencies.

The hearing is being conducted by a seven-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising six other judges — Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

The SC is conducting live proceedings of the hearing.

“Judges must be sure that they are not in danger,” CJP Isa said during the hearing. The chief justice said he cannot exercise the contempt power of any other court.

“The court which is in contempt will exercise this power itself.” “There is zero tolerance on the independence of judiciary,” said the chief justice.

However, the judge questioned lawyers, who demanded a suo motu notice in the aforementioned matter, where they were when not a single meeting of the full court was conducted in four years.

“Full court performs the administrative function, not judicial function.,” he said.

The chief justice said: “My colleagues and I will stand before any attack on the independence of judiciary.” However, he maintained that the court does “not like interference in the work of the judiciary”.

He further remarked: “If anyone has an agenda…they should become the chief justice. We will not take the pressure; we are working administratively.”

During the hearing, the AGP read out the trail of events following the IHC judges’ letter including the meetings held between CJP Isa and the judges.

The chief justice, in response to the AGP, said: “We did not meet at home by hiding from the executive, we did not meet in the chamber.