Jailed PTI leader Qureshi hopeful of justice after senior judges claim interference in judicial matters

Rawalpindi [Pakistan], April 12 : Shehrbano Qureshi, the daughter of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, said on Thursday her father's hopes of justice was boosted after the six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges wrote a letter on alleged interference of intelligence agencies in judicial matters, The News International reported.
Shehrbano, speaking to journalists outside Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail after meeting her father on Thursday, said she also met Qureshi last Monday and he was in good health.
"My father is very hopeful and seeing justice being done in the country," the PTI leader said, adding that the bravery showed by six judges of the IHC boosted the courage of her father -- who alongside the party founder Imran Khan is facing 10-year jail term in the cypher case.
The News International reported that she expressed her thoughts that they want to see a strong and stable Pakistan despite going through a tough time.
On the case against the former foreign minister, Shehrbano said appeals against Qureshi's sentences in the cipher case would be heard on April 16.
The politician expressed hope that the prosecution would not find more excuses in the next hearings. She claimed that the prosecution has no concrete arguments left in the cipher case.
In January, a special court judge, Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, sentenced Khan and Qureshi to 10 years, each, in the cipher case.
The case pertains to allegations that the former prime minister had made public the contents of a secret cable sent by the country's ambassador in Washington to the government in Islamabad, The News International reported.
On March 25, six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa convene the Judicial Convention to consider the matter of interference of intelligence operatives in the judicial functions or intimidation of judges in a manner that undermined the independence of the judiciary.
The IHC judges, including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jehangiri, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Justice Saman Rifat Imtiaz, wrote a letter to the chief justice, who is also the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), Geo News reported.
After the letter went viral and considering the gravity of allegations it mentioned, the chief justice called a meeting the same day with the IHC chief justice and all the judges after Iftar at 8pm at his residence during which the concerns of all the judges were heard individually.
The following day, on March 27, the CJP met with the attorney-general and the law minister, and thereafter, the chief justice and the senior puisne judge met with the president of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the senior most member of the Pakistan Bar Council in Islamabad.
A full-court meeting of all the SC judges, called under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Pakistan at 4pm the same day, deliberated on the issues raised in the letter.
Geo News reported that the full-court developed a consensus by majority that the chief justice may hold a meeting with the prime minister of and raise the issue with him. CJP Isa then met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in the Supreme Court where he clearly stated that interference by the executive in the affairs and judicial workings of judges will not be tolerated.
During the meeting, the constitution of an inquiry commission was proposed under the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017. The prime minister fully endorsed the views expressed by the CJP and senior puisne judge and assured them that he will be taking other appropriate measures to ensure an independent judiciary.
After further consultations among the CJP and other judges as well as the federal government's actions in this regard, the announcement of a one-man inquiry commission comprising former CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani was made, who recused himself from the opportunity, citing various constitutional reasons.