ISLAMABAD: A full court bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) would take up a contempt of court case for hearing on September 19, concerning a social media campaign against Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri.

A seven-member full court bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan and Justice Saman Raffat Imtiaz would hear the case.

It may be mentioned here that in the last hearing, the court issued directives to identify the people involved in the character assassination of Justice Jahangiri.

The full court bench held its first hearing before the summer break, during which it issued notices to journalists Gharida Farooqi, Hassan Ayub, and Ammar Solangi, requesting their responses.

The bench also served notices to the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, instructing these institutions to submit reports within four weeks.

These reports should identify those involved in the “smear campaign and sharing related content.”

Justice Jahangiri is among six judges who had earlier lodged a complaint with the Supreme Judicial Council, accusing the Inter-Services Intelligence of interfering in judicial matters.

Their complaint contained alarming allegations, including the discovery of spy cameras at the entrance and inside a judge’s bedroom, which were reported to the chief justice, but no action was taken.

The judges believe that a convention of this nature might reveal whether judges from other high courts have faced similar situations.

“Such institutional consultation could then help the Supreme Court determine the best ways to safeguard judicial independence, establish a mechanism to hold accountable those who undermine it, and provide guidance to judges on the appropriate actions to take when confronted with interference or intimidation by members of the executive.”