Khawaja Asif questions Judiciary’s transparency in political cases

Islamabad: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that political cases in Pakistan were often heard only by a few specific judges. In a tweet, he said some judges even involved their families in the proceedings, making a public display of the cases and treating political leaders disrespectfully.

Khawaja Asif warned that when people with limited experience sit in high positions, it can threaten the country’s stability. He added that the same small group of judges has consistently handled major political cases, including the Panama Papers case. In that case, the bench formed by Saqib Nisar disqualified former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, later determining the duration of his disqualification and ruling that disqualified political party leaders could not hold leadership positions.

ان تمام مقدمات اور دوسرے سیاسی مقدمات جب ان سیاسی ججوں کے سامنے لگتے تھے تو یہ اپنی فیملیز کو بلا کر تماشہ دکھاتے کہ وہ انصاف کی کرسی پہ بیٹھ کر ملک کی سیاست قیادت کے ساتھ کیا تضحیک آمیز سلوک کرتے ھیں۔ بڑی بڑی کرسیوں پہ جب بہت چھوٹے لوگ جب بیٹھ جائیں تو اس دھرتی کی سلامتی کو…

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) November 14, 2025

The same judges, including Saqib Nisar, Umar Bandial, and Justice Faisal Arab, were also involved in other high-profile cases such as the Bani Gala property case and the Dam Fund issue. In 2021, a bench led by the Chief Justice limited the powers of suo motu notices, further increasing the Chief Justice’s authority. These judges also handled key cases like the no-confidence motion and the PTI sit-in.

Khawaja Asif questioned why only a few judges were hearing political cases while others were ignored, saying this raised concerns about balance and transparency in the judiciary. He highlighted the 27th Constitutional Amendment, aimed at ensuring equal rights and responsibilities for all Supreme Court judges.

He said the amendment is not against the judiciary but intends to protect it, allowing all judges to perform their duties without pressure. The minister emphasized that the reform aims to prevent a small group of judges from influencing the country’s political cases in the future.

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