FIR lodged at CTD over 'threatening' letters to SC judges

ISLAMABAD: The first information report (FIR) has been lodged over suspicious threatening letters containing ‘white powder’ sent to the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan judges including Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, ARY News reported.

The FIR was registered on the complaint R&I branch In-charge at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). The case was registered under Sections 7 and 507 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The FIR read that ‘ordinary’ letters were received by the secretaries of the chief justice and other three judges of the apex court. “The four letters were written to CJ Qazi Faez Isa and other three SC judges,” it added.

The FIR read that Admin In-charge Khurram Shahzad informed on the phone that the letters contained white powder inside the envelopes.

“Three letters were sent by one Gulshad Khatoon from an unknown address while one letter was sent by Sajjad Hussain from unknown whereabouts,” the FIR read.

The letters aimed at spreading fear and terror among the fraternity, it added.

Earlier in the day, five LHC judges including Chief Justice Shahzad Malik Ahmed also received a threatening letter that also carried ‘suspicious powder. Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Alia Neelam, Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh— also received the suspicious letters

LHC CJ Shahzad Malik Ahmed is the most recent judge to receive a threatening letter carrying suspicious powder as earlier Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Islamabad High Court (IHC) CJ Justice Aamer Farooq and other top judges also received the same letter.

Read More: CJP Qazi Faez Isa, three SC judges also receive ‘suspicious letters’

Sources privy to the development said, CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan received threatening letters

The letters were received by the SC judges on April 1, which have been handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) for investigation.

Read More: Islamabad High Court judges receive letters containing ‘anthrax’

It all started when the eight IHC judges, including the CJ Justice Aamer Farooq received letters containing ‘anthrax.

One of the letters was opened by a judge’s staff and was found to contain an unidentified powder.

Upon discovery of the suspicious substance, a team of experts from the Islamabad Police reached the premises of the Islamabad High Court to analyze the situation.

The primary focus of the investigation revolves around determining the nature of the powder and its potential threat.

Earlier, DIG Operations Islamabad, Shehzad Bukhari in his statement before the IHC said apart from eight IHC judges, four SC and four LHC judges have also received ‘suspicious letters’.

DIG Operations Shehzad Bukhari was summoned to Islamabad High Court by CJ Justice Aamer Farooq after six judges of the high court received ‘suspicious letters’ on Tuesday.

Upon being asked, where the letters were posted? the DIG operations said letters were ‘dispatched from Rawalpindi GPO’.