IHC judges’ letter: SC forms new bench

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Thursday formed a new bench to hear a suo motu case regarding the allegations of interference by intelligence agencies in judicial functions, ARY News reported.

A new bench has been constituted after Justice Yahya Afridi recused himself from the hearing. Apart from Justice Yahya Afridi, all other six members of the previous bench are part of the new six-member bench.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa would head the bench which also comprises Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhaill, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

It is pertinent to mention that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa on April 1 took suo moto notice of IHC judges’ letter in which they alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

Read More: IHC judges’ letter: Justice Yahya Afridi recuses himself from suo moto bench

IHC top judges – including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Baqir Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Salman Rafat Imtiaz – penned the letter to SJC in the aftermath of Supreme Court’s March 22 judgement on Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s dismissal case.

In the letter, the top judges sought guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a “judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with discharge of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation”.

In the maiden hearing on the suo moto case on April 3, CJP Qazi Faez Isa hinted at the formation of a full court on the next hearing of suo motu notice taken on the IHC judges’ allegations.

At the outset of the hearing, CJP Isa directed the attorney general to present the press release issued after the full court meeting.