Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa has summoned a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on May 14 to review pending complaints against judges, including a controversial letter written by six former judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the meeting, to be chaired by the CJP, will examine complaints currently pending before the council and assess available evidence before deciding whether further proceedings should be initiated against any judge.
The council is also expected to deliberate on a letter submitted by six Islamabad High Court judges in March 2024, in which they alleged attempts to influence judicial matters through intimidation and surveillance.
The letter claimed that judges were pressured through the abduction and torture of relatives as well as secret monitoring inside their homes. The allegations triggered widespread concern regarding judicial independence and the role of intelligence agencies in legal affairs.
The letter was signed by Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Saman Rafat Imtiaz.
During proceedings held on May 7, 2024, the Supreme Court resumed hearing a case related to the allegations raised by the six judges. Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan requested additional time to submit the government’s response, stating that he had not yet received a copy of the previous hearing conducted on April 30.
The attorney general also informed the court that he intended to consult Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the matter and sought one more day to prepare his arguments.
The six-member bench hearing the matter was led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and included Justices Mansoor Ali Shah, Athar Minallah, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Musarrat Hilali and Naeem Akhtar Afghan.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa had agreed to establish an inquiry commission to investigate the allegations. The proposal was later approved by the federal cabinet.
However, former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who had been nominated to head the commission, withdrew from the role and advised that the matter should instead be resolved internally within the judicial institution.
At the same time, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the issue. Justice Yahya Afridi, who was initially part of a larger seven-member bench hearing the case, later recused himself from the proceedings.
During earlier hearings, Chief Justice Isa had stated that any attack on the independence of the judiciary would not be tolerated and had indicated the possibility of forming a full court to hear the matter.
At the latest hearing, the chief justice also asked lawyers representing bar councils and legal associations how much time they would require to complete their arguments. He stated that lawyers representing professional bodies would be heard before individuals appearing in a personal capacity.
The hearing of the suo motu case was later adjourned indefinitely.
Reporter: Amanat Gushkuri