IHC to give institutional response to any meddling in court affairs
Pakistan
It was decided in IHC full court meeting
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - A full court meeting of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday unanimously decided to give an institutional response to any meddling in the court's affairs, Dunya News reported.
The IHC full court meeting was held on Tuesday with Chief Justice Aamer Farooq in the chair to finalise proposals before submission to the Supreme Court in connection with a matter pertaining to the alleged interference of the personnel of spy agencies in judicial affairs.
On March 26, six judges of the IHC, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), seeking its guidance on alleged interference of the intelligence agencies in the courts’ affairs.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court chief justice had convened a full court meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue of letter of six IHC judges.
The office of the Islamabad High Court chief justice had sought suggestions from all judges, including those of district and sessions court.
The development comes in the wake of allegations levelled by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges against alleged interference in judicial affairs by intelligence apparatus.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa had on March 27 hinted that the Supreme Court might form a full court in response to the letter.
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.
