IHC CJ convenes full court meeting to deliberate on judges' letter
Pakistan
The office of IHC CJ has sought suggestions from all judges
- The full court meeting will be held at 2:30pm
- Earlier, High Court Bar Association sought appropriate action in the case
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Islamabad High Court chief justice has convened a full court meeting to be held today (Tuesday) to discuss the issue of letter of six IHC judges.
The full court meeting will be held at 2:30pm. The office of the Islamabad High Court chief justice has sought suggestions from all judges, including those of district and sessions court.
Also read: Commission to probe IHC judges' allegations, says law minister
The development comes in the wake of allegations levelled by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges against interference in judicial affairs by country’s intelligence apparatus.
The six judges are Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Rafat Imtiaz.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa had on March 27 hinted that the Supreme Court might form a full court in response to the letter.
Also read: Judges' letter: Justice Yahya Afridi recuses from suo moto case
Justice Yahya Afridi of the Supreme Court has recused himself from the suo moto case of the letter written by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges.
High Court Bar Association's stance
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court seeking a transparent and fair investigation of the letter of six judges alleging interference in judicial affairs.
The petitioner prayed the apex court to take action against those found guilty of influencing the judiciary.
The petition stated that the issue raised by the judges was of serious nature. "If the apex court deems it necessary, it should refer the matter to the Supreme Judicial Council for review," it demanded.
The petitioner submitted that an independent judiciary was the protector of the Constitution and the sole source of justice. No compromise on the independence of the judiciary is acceptable in any circumstances.
How it began
On March 25, six judges of the Islamabad High Court wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council regarding the "interference of intelligence agencies in judicial matters".
The Supreme Court earlier this month took suo moto notice and hinted at constituting a full court to hear the matter. Before that, the federal government set up a one-man inquiry commission which could not initiate any proceeding due to refusal of its head, former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani.
