SC full court discusses IHC judges’ letter about spy agencies’ interference

ISLAMABAD: A full court meeting of the Supreme Court judges was convened in the federal capital to discuss a letter penned by six judges of the Islamabad High Court concerning alleged interference by intelligence agencies in the judiciary.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa along with other Supreme Court judges participated in the meeting, which lasted for over two hours. This development followed calls from bar associations and legal experts for an investigation into the matter.

Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan met with the CJP to discuss the issue. Post-meeting, the AGP, while addressing journalists, emphasized the seriousness of the matter and the necessity for an inquiry.

Bar associations from Sindh, Lahore, Islamabad, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with senior lawyers, condemned the purported interference, urging the chief justice to address the issue.

The letter, authored by the IHC judges a day prior, called for the council to convene a judicial convention to address alleged interference by members of the executive, including intelligence operatives, in judicial matters. The judges who authored the letter include 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. They sought guidance from the council on how judges should respond to such interference and intimidation, emphasizing the duty to report such incidents.

This development comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal, directing that he be regarded as retired. The IHC judges highlighted the absence of guidance in the code of conduct for judges regarding how to handle incidents of intimidation and interference with judicial independence.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed deep concern over the allegations made by the six high court judges, emphasizing that such interference undermines the judiciary’s independence. The HRCP underscored the need for transparent civilian oversight of intelligence services to strengthen democratic checks and balances.