Justice Minallah acknowledges intervention in cases with political implications
Pakistan
Justice Minallah also gave reference of Asghar Khan case saying it's sufficient to show interference
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Justice Athar Minallah of the Supreme Court has said that interference in cases with political implications cannot be denied, the apex court itself has acknowledged this in the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference.
Justice Minallah wrote this in his dissenting note which accompanied the Supreme Court written order for the first hearing of the suo moto case on the letter of six judges of the Islamabad High Court.
Justice Minallah also gave reference of the Asghar Khan case; “that is sufficient to show the extent of the interference.”
The honourable justice disagreed with first 12 paragraphs of the order saying that he “could not convince himself to agree with paragraphs one to 12.”
The question whether the prime minister can be summoned or not is yet to be considered by the full court, Justice Minallah wrote in his dissenting note.
He said that whether the independence of judiciary is affected by setting up of commissions by the government is yet to be decided.
“It is not appropriate to give an opinion on the questions that are before the court; but the letter of the high court judges shows that they kept raising the matter at every relevant forum.”
In the dissenting note, Justice Minallah said that “despite the seriousness of the matter, the institution did not respond. The high court judges did what every judge is bound to do by oath.
“There is no reason to doubt the six judges of the high court,” the judge concluded.
Also read: SC moved for full court to hear suo moto case of judges' letter
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan seeking formation of full court to hear suo moto case of the Islamabad High Court judges' letter.
