SC rejects PDM govt's objection to bench hearing audio leaks commission case
Pakistan
Court says previous govt's objections on bench an attack on judiciary’s freedom
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday rejected previous government's objection to bench hearing the audio leaks commission case.
The government had formed an inquiry commission into the alleged audio leaks of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial's mother in law, wife of Khawaja Tariq Rahim, son of former chief justice Saqib Nisar, Justice Mazahir Naqvi, Abid Zuberi and Parvez Elahi.
The government had formed this commission of inquiry under the chairmanship of Justice Qazi Faiz Isa to investigate the nine alleged audio leaks. The commission also included the chief justices of Islamabad and Balochistan high courts. However, Abid Zuberi had challenged this commission, on which the court constituted a five-member bench under the
chairmanship of Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Hasan Azhar and Justice Shahid Waheed.
Also Read: SC bars audio leaks investigation commission from working further
The bench heard the case twice and stopped the Audio Leaks Inquiry Commission from functioning.
However, the previous government had filed separate petitions for separation of three judges from the bench due to conflict of interest. These three judges were Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar.
The court had reserved its verdict on June 6 after hearing the government's plea on the bench, which was pronounced three months later by Justice Ijazul Ahsan today (Friday).
The Supreme Court dismissed the government's objection petition against the three judges and the court gave a short judgment terming the previous government's objections on the bench as an attack on independence of the judiciary.
Justice Ijaz, while delivering the verdict, said that objection to the judges was equivalent to attacking the court. The Supreme Court will issue a detailed decision on the case later.
Also Read: Govt forms Justice Isa-led commission to probe leaked audio calls
The federal government had formed a three-member inquiry commission to investigate the leaked audios allegedly involving the judiciary and former chief justices and a judge, saying the conversations had raised apprehensions over impartiality of judges.The three-member commission was headed by Supreme Court’s Justice Qazi Faez Isa while Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq were its members.
