Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rejects commission on IHC judges' letter, calls for judicial probe
Mar 30, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 31 : The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has voiced its opposition to the commission established to investigate the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges' letter, calling instead for a commission akin to those that investigated previous scandals such as the Memogate controversy and the allegations of rigging in the 2013 elections, as reported by ARY News.
In an interview with ARY News, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed the party's rejection of the commission headed by a retired judge. He advocated for an inquiry commission comprising serving judges, arguing that former judges wield authority similar to that of civil judges.
Earlier today, the federal government announced the formation of an inquiry commission led by former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, to probe the accusations of intelligence agencies' interference in the judiciary raised by six IHC judges, according to ARY News.
The announcement of the commission's formation came during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's address at the federal cabinet session.
Six senior judges of the IHC, including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Baqir Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Salman Rafat Imtiaz, penned a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on March 26, urging it to convene a judicial convention to examine the issue of "interference of intelligence agencies with judicial functions."
In response to the IHC's allegations, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa emphasised that executive interference in judicial affairs would not be tolerated.
"The CJP clearly stated that interference by the executive in the affairs and judicial workings of judges will not be tolerated and under no circumstances can the independence of the judiciary be allowed to be compromised," read a statement issued by the Supreme Court following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's meeting with CJP Isa and the SC's full court meeting.
The CJ and the Senior Puisne Judge reiterated that judicial independence is a fundamental pillar supporting the rule of law and a robust democracy, according to the statement, ARY News reported.
