I will be the first to defend if SC attacked: CJP

The Supreme Court of Pakistan  heard a suo motu case pertaining to allegations made by Islamabad High Court’s six judges of inte­rference by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

A seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa heard the suo motu case. The bench also includes Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Jamal Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

At the beginning of the hearing, Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa remarked that he is not pointing fingers at anyone, but the lawyers who were demanding a suo motu should leave the practice.

The Chief Justice reiterated that we should not make the courts a fish market. Democracy requires to accept the opinion of your opponent. I do not meet lawyers individually but I met with the prime minister, he observed.

The CJP remarked that if there is an attack on the judiciary, he will be the first to come forward. There will be zero tolerance on the independence of the judiciary. It seems that pressure is being put on the judiciary. But there will be no compromise, he observed.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan remarked that gone are the days when the Chief Justice had the will, now there is a three-member committee that decides the cases.

It should be remembered that a few days ago, six judges of the Islamabad High Court made allegations of interference of secret agencies in the affairs of the judiciary.

An inquiry commission headed by Justice (Retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jilani was formed by the federal government to investigate the matter. However, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani refused the head commission and the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the matter.

The Chief Justice adjourned the hearing till April 29.