CJP takes suo motu notice of IHC judges' letter about 'meddling' in judicial matters
ISLAMABAD, (NNI): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa has taken suo motu notice regarding the letter written by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges complaining of "meddling" by intelligence agencies in judicial matters.
The CJP took the action on Monday, a day after over 300 lawyers had urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of allegations of interference in the judiciary by the intelligence apparatus under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, adding any government-led commission "would be bereft of necessary independence and powers" to probe the claims.
Chief Justice Faez Isa constituted a sevenjudge larger bench on the issue of judges' letter. The bench will conduct first hearing on Wednesday.
The other six members of the larger bench are Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.
The hearing
Wednesday.
At the same time, former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who was to head the inquiry commission, expressed his inability to complete the task after he had expressed willingness to fulfil the assigned task.
Earlier, over 300 lawyers, belonging to different bar associations, urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to hear Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges' allegations of interference by intelligence agencies in judicial functions under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
The lawyers said that all those who had signed had issued the statement to "express our unwavering commitment and wholehearted support to the principles of rule of law, independence of judiciary and access to justice" in light of the allegations made by the IHC judges.
"We endorse the resolutions passed by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, the Islamabad Bar Association, the Sindh High will take place at 11-30am on
Court Bar Association, the Pakistan Bar Council, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and the Balochistan Bar Council to the extent that they resolve to uphold the principle of independence of judiciary, express solidarity with the six judges of the IHC, commend their courageous action and demand appropriate action to uphold such principles," the statement said and added this was not the first time that such allegations had been raised.
Justice (retd) Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had raised "similar allegations and was consequently, unceremoniously removed from office, without following due process", the lawyers said.
Referring to the apex court's recent verdict on the murder trial of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the statement said that it was an "indictment of the historic role played by the judiciary in Pakistan and it is commendable to the extent of the sober acknowledgement therein that public perception of judicial independence has been prejudiced".