'Nontoxic arsenic' powder found in letters sent to judges, reveals report
ISLAMABAD, (NNI): An investigation report on suspicious and threatening letters received by judges of the Supreme of Pakistan and different high courts has been sent to the Ministry of Interior.
The report read that eight judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) received suspicious letters followed by at least 10 judges of the Supreme Court and five of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
It added that two separate cases of these suspicious letters have been registered at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
According to the sources pricy to the development, the 'nontoxic arsenic' powder was found in the letters. The investigators are visiting the shops where arsenic powder is available and two CTD teams have been formed to visit these shops in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
According to the report, the names of the letter senders have been sent to National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), while the writing and ink on the envelopes has been forwarded to experts for analysis.
The report read that the postal stamp affixed on the letter is also being analysed. It added that progress reports are being submitted to apex court and high courts on daily basis.
As many as 10 judges of the apex court, eight of the IHC and six of the LHC have received threatening letter containing suspicious powder.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice
Athar Minallah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Amin-Ud-Din, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ayesha Malik among judges of the apex court to receive the letters.
At the LHC, Chief Justice (CJ) Shahzad Malik Ahmed, Justice Ali Justice Baqar Ali Najafi, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Alia Neelam, Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh also received the suspicious letters.
Eight judges of the IHC including CJ Justice Aamer Farooq were the first ones to receive such letters.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said the federal government will investigate the issue of 'suspicious letters' received by judges.
Chairing a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad today, he said this matter will be taken up with a sense of responsibility. He emphasized there should be no politics on this matter.
PM Shehbaz Sharif recalled that an inquiry commission was formed after the consent and consultation of former chief justice of Pakistan Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to look into the issues raised by the six judges of Islamabad High Court.
He said the former chief justice however late recused himself from heading the inquiry commission. He said the Supreme Court has now taken suo motu notice of this matter.