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ISLAMABAD: More than 300 lawyers have called upon the Supreme Court (SC) to intervene regarding accusations of interference in the judiciary by intelligence agencies under Article 184(3) of the Constitution. They argue that any government-led inquiry lacks the necessary independence and authority to properly investigate these allegations.
Article 184(3) grants the SC original jurisdiction to address matters of public importance related to the enforcement of fundamental rights of Pakistani citizens.
In a recent development, six judges from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) detailing attempts to coerce judges through the abduction and torture of their relatives, as well as covert surveillance within their homes. The judges involved include Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz.
Following this revelation, there have been calls for an investigation, prompting Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa to convene a full court meeting of SC judges.
Subsequently, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and CJP Isa agreed to establish a commission to probe the allegations of judicial interference, with the cabinet’s approval.
The federal cabinet has approved the formation of an inquiry commission chaired by former CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to investigate the allegations and determine their veracity. The commission is tasked with identifying any officials directly involved in judicial interference and recommending appropriate action against implicated agencies, departments, or state institutions.
Additionally, the commission retains the authority to investigate any related matters that emerge during the inquiry process.
Today, more than 300 lawyers, including prominent figures such as Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, Zainab Janjua, Abdul Moiz Jaferii, Salman Akram Raja, Taimur Malik, and Saqib Jillani, son of the ex-CJP leading the investigation, issued a public statement expressing their steadfast commitment to the principles of rule of law, judicial independence, and access to justice.
They endorsed resolutions passed by various bar associations, expressing solidarity with the six IHC judges and demanding action to uphold judicial independence. The statement highlighted previous instances of similar allegations, including those raised by Justice (retired) Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, and emphasized the importance of restoring public trust in the judiciary.