ISLAMABAD: Over 300 lawyers urged the Supreme Court (SC) to take notice of allegations of interference in the judiciary by the intelligence apparatus under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, adding that any government-led commission “would be bereft of necessary independence and powers” to probe the claims.
Article 184(3) of the Constitution sets out the SC’s original jurisdiction and enables it to assume jurisdiction in matters involving a question of “public importance” with reference to the “enforcement of any of the fundamental rights” of Pakistan’s citizens.
On Tuesday, six Islamabad High Court judges — out of a total strength of eight — wrote a startling letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) members, regarding attempts to pressure judges through abduction and torture of their relatives as well as secret surveillance inside their homes.
The letter was signed by judges Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir and SamanRafat Imtiaz.A day later, calls emerged from various quarters for a probe into the investigation, amid which Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa summoned a full court meeting of the SC judges.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met CJP Isa, where the two decided to form a commission to investigate the concerns of interference in judicial affairs following the cabinet’s approval.On Saturday, the federal cabinet approved the constitution of an inquiry commission headed by former CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to probe the allegations and decide whether these are true or otherwise.
It will also investigate if any official was directly involved in judicial interference and suggest action against any agency, department or state institution based on the facts unearthed. The commission will also be at liberty to investigate any other matter during the course of the inquiry if it feels the issue to be important.
Today, more than 300 lawyers from across the country — including ImaanZainab Mazari-Hazir, Zainab Janjua, Abdul Moiz Jaferii, Salman Akram Raja, Taimur Malik and the son of the ex-CJP tasked with the probe, Saqib Jillani — issued a public statement.The full statement was also shared on social media platform X by Mazari-Hazir and Janjua.
