New SC bench constituted to hear case of interference in judicial processes

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has constituted a new bench to hear a suo motu case involving accusations of intelligence agency interference in judicial processes.

This new six-member bench was formed after Justice Yahya Afridi recused himself from the proceedings.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa will lead this bench, which includes Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Jamal Khan Mandokhaill, Athar Minallah, Musarrat Hilali, and Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa initiated the suo motu notice on April 1 following a letter from Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges, alleging intelligence agency interference in judicial matters.

The letter, authored by prominent IHC 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, was in response to the Supreme Court’s March 22 ruling on Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s dismissal case.

In their communication to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), these judges sought guidance on a judge’s duty to report and respond to executive members, including intelligence agency operatives, attempting to interfere with their official duties and qualifying such actions as intimidation.

During the initial hearing on April 3, CJP Qazi Faez Isa indicated the likelihood of convening a full court session for the subsequent hearing related to the IHC judges’ claims.

At the start of the session, CJP Isa instructed the attorney general to provide the press release issued subsequent to the full court meeting.