Islamabad, Apr 3 (EFE).- Pakistan’s top court on Wednesday began hearing a case involving a letter from six judges alleging interference in judicial affairs by intelligence agencies.
A seven-member bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, took suo motu action following the letter to the Supreme Judicial Council last month.
In the letter, the six Islamabad High Court judges claimed that the country’s intelligence agencies were pressurizing judges through abduction and torture of their relatives and secret surveillance their homes.
The proceedings were broadcast live on the court’s website and YouTube channel.
Chief justice Faez Isa said an “attack of any kind” on the judiciary’s independence would not be tolerated.
Justice Athar Minallah said everyone knew what was happening, yet there was a collective pretension of ignorance.
“Let’s not pretend that nothing is happening, we have to take this thing very seriously,” he said.
The hearing was postponed to a later date in April, with the bench deferring the decision on the specific date.
Earlier, the chief justice met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to set up an inquiry commission and probe the allegations.
The government had nominated Tassaduq Jillani, a former Chief Justice of Pakistan, to lead the inquiry commission.
However, Jillani recused himself following opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and civil society, who deemed the commission as “powerless.”
The high court judges cited various instances of alleged intelligence interference, including a case involving imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are currently incarcerated following multiple convictions, including corruption charges and an un-Islamic marriage.
In a separate development on Tuesday, eight judges of the Islamabad High Court, including Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, received letters containing white powder purportedly laced with anthrax.
The Islamabad court is currently reviewing petitions filed by Khan, challenging his convictions in various cases.
On Monday, the court suspended the 14-year sentences imposed on Khan and his wife in a case related to the retention and sale of state gifts. EFE
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