Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the commission established to investigate the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges’ letter, instead calling for a judicial probe similar to previous inquiries such as the Memogate controversy and allegations of rigging in the 2013 elections. PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated in an interview with ARY News that the party opposes the commission headed by a retired judge, advocating for an inquiry commission comprising serving judges, as reported by ARY News.
The federal government had earlier announced the formation of an inquiry commission led by former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, to investigate accusations of intelligence agencies’ interference in the judiciary, raised by six IHC judges. The announcement 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, wrote 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.”
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa responded to the IHC’s allegations, stating that executive interference in judicial affairs would not be tolerated. The CJP emphasized that the independence of the judiciary must not be compromised under any circumstances, according to a statement issued by the Supreme Court following a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, 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, as reported by ARY News.
