PTI rejects commission formed to probe IHC judges' letter

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded the formation of an inquiry commission into the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges’ letter similar to commissions that probed the Memogate scandal and Election 2013 rigging allegations, ARY News reported.

Speaking to ARY News, PTI leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that his party rejects the commission that will be headed by a retired judge.

He called for the formation of an inquiry commission comprising serving judges, saying that the former judges enjoy power equivalent to that of a civil judge.

Earlier today, the federal government formed an inquiry commission headed by former CJP Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to investigate the allegations of intelligence agencies’ interference in the judiciary levelled by six IHC judges.

The announcement of the formation of the committee was made by PM Shehbaz Sharif while addressing the federal cabinet session.

As many as six serving judges of the IHC had penned a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on March 26, urging it to summon a judicial convention to review the matter of “interference of intelligence agencies with judicial functions”.

Six 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.

Following the allegations of the IHC, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa said that interference in the judicial affairs by the ‘executive’ will not be tolerated.

“The CJP clearly stated that interference by the executive in the affairs and judicial workings of judges will not be tolerated and under no circumstances can independence of the judiciary be allowed to be compromised,” a statement issued by the top court read following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with CJP Isa and the SC’s full court meeting.

The CJ and the Senior Puisne Judge stated that independence of the judiciary is a foundational pillar that upholds the rule of law and a strong democracy, according to the statement.