ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Islamabad High Court has sought suggestions from the judges on a letter they have written to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the alleged interference and intimidation by the operatives of intelligence agencies, said the sources.
They said that the CJ IHC Aamir Farooq on the directions of the Supreme Court has asked the judges to submit their proposals by April 22 (Monday). The recommendations were also sought from the district and session judges of East and West in Islamabad, sources added.
A copy of the Supreme Court order has also been sent to the judges and after the suggestions of the judges, it will be decided whether to call the full court or not.
Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan on Friday summoned a full court meeting for April 22 to discuss how best to protect judicial independence and establish a mechanism to attach liability to those undermining such freedom.
A seven-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Naeem Akhtar Afghan on April 3 heard suo moto, taken on the allegations of the IHC judges, and directed the Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, the Vice-Chairman Pakistan Bar Council and the President Supreme Court Bar Association to make written submission on next date (April 30).
However, Justice Yahya Afridi, in his note, opposed the suo moto and recused from the bench, while Justice Minallah in his 5-page note maintained that interference in cases with political implications cannot be ruled out, and termed the IHC judges whistleblowers.
Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) a day ago (Thursday) prayed to the Supreme Court to pass an order to probe the IHC judges allegations and upon completion order to fix liability for those who undermined independence of judiciary by interfering in their judicial work.
It also asked the SC that if the IHC judges matters fall within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Judicial Council then make recommendation to it for due consideration.
Six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) “ Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Saman Raffat Imtiaz on March 25 wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the alleged interference and intimidation by the coperatives of intelligence agencies.
In the letter, they sought guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with discharge of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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