SC takes suo motu notice on judges’ letter

The Supreme Court has taken a suo motu notice of the issue of letter penned by the Islamabad High Court judges.

Led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, a seven-member bench consisting of all the judges present on the principal seat of Islamabad has been formed.

Other judges on the bench include Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Jamal Mandokhel and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

The Supreme Court will hear the letter issue of Islamabad High Court judges on Wednesday.

It should be remembered that six judges of Islamabad High Court raised the issue of interference in judicial matters in a letter a few days ago.

Earlier,  the federal cabinet has approved the constitution of an inquiry commission to probe allegations leveled by the Islamabad High Court judges.

The commission is headed by former chief justice of Pakistan Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani.

The commission would hold an inquiry into the allegations levelled by the IHC judges in a letter.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz had on March 26 sent a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), urging it to convene a judicial convention over the alleged interference of intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

CJP Qazi Faez Isa responding to the allegations had said that meddling by the executive in the affairs and “judicial workings of Judges will not be tolerated” come what may.

He also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Supreme Court in Islamabad.

A five-point agenda of the federal cabinet meeting, presided by the PM, was issued which included discussion of the said letter and approval for setting up of an investigation commission on the allegations levelled in the letter.