Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday took suo-motu notice of the letter by senior judges of the Islamabad High Court on Monday and formed a larger bench to hear the case.
CJP Qazi Faez Isa will spearhead the seven-member bench that includes Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Naeem Afghan.
The apex court took suo moto after the government set up a judicial commission under Justice (r) Tassaduq Hussain Jilani to probe the allegations made by the IHC judges.
The seven-member bench of top court will take up the case at 11:30am on Wednesday.
The development comes after Sharif’s government okayed judicial inquiry to investigate the letter of six judges from the Islamabad High Court. Former Chief Justice Tasadduq Hussain Jilani was nominated as the head of the inquiry commission.
The cabinet also approved the terms of reference (TORs) for a commission of inquiry. The commission has been given 60 days to prepare its report.
Last week, Chief Justice of Pakistan summoned the full court meeting to discuss the letter sent by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges over alleged interference of intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.
A letter written by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Raffat Imtiaz, pointed out instances of interference and intimidation by spy agencies operatives.
The senior judges stressed judicial convention to address the matter and ensure the independence of the judiciary in the country.
The letter mentioned meddling of intelligence agencies like the abduction of a judge’s relative by individuals claiming to be intelligence personnel, and illegal surveillance of judges’ residences.
Islamabad High Court judges emphasized the need to protect judicial independence and ensure that judges are not influenced by agencies.
The letter quoted a case in which there was difference of opinion between members of the bench. It further mentioned that judges of district court were facing intimidation and at least one Additional District and Sessions Judge had been threatened and crackers were thrown into his house to intimidate him.
