Pakistan's Chief Justice Dismisses Allegations of Intelligence Interference in Judiciary

Pakistan's Chief Justice addresses concerns about interference in the judiciary. He claims no complaints have been received during his tenure, despite six judges alleging pressure from intelligence agencies. A commission was formed to investigate the allegations, and a full court meeting was summoned. The Chief Justice emphasized that interference in judicial independence will not be tolerated.

Amidst the controversy over alleged interference by the powerful intelligence agencies in judicial affairs, Pakistan's Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Thursday said that he had received no complaints of meddling during his tenure.

''Since I've been chief justice, I have not received a single complaint from any high court judge that there has been interference in their work. If there has been interference in their work, it has not been reported to me," the top judge said while addressing the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) here.

In an unprecedented move, six judges of the Islamabad High Court last month sought intervention by the Supreme Judicial Council against the alleged interference in the working of the judiciary by Pakistan's powerful intelligence agencies.

The six judges — out of a total strength of eight — wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) members, regarding alleged attempts to pressure judges through abduction and torture of their relatives as well as secret surveillance inside their homes.

The six judges who signed the March 25 dated letter include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz.

Chief Justice Isa summoned a full court meeting of the Supreme Court judges on the matter.

After a meeting between CJP Isa and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 28, they formed a commission to investigate the allegations of interference in judicial affairs following the cabinet's approval.

Former CJP Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, who was appointed to head the commission, subsequently recused himself from the matter, leading to the apex court taking a suo motu notice of the issue.

CJP Isa later asserted that "any attack" on the judiciary's independence would not be tolerated as he hinted at forming a full court to hear a suo motu case pertaining to allegations of interference in judicial affairs.

On Thursday, the top judge made it clear that the incidents mentioned in the IHC letter were from before his tenure as the top judge began.

"Interference is not acceptable, but at the same time, nothing has been reported to me during my watch,'' he said.

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