Supreme Court takes suo motu notice in matter of IHC judges’ letter

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has taken suo moto notice today in the matter of a letter written by six judges of Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding intelligence agencies’ interference in the judicial process.

The seven-member bench formed will be headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa. Other judges included are Justice Mansoor Ali, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Musarat Hilali, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

The larger bench of the Supreme Court, headed by CJP Qazi Faiz Isa will hear the case on Wednesday at 11 am.

READ MORE: CJP calls full court meeting over IHC judges’ letter about agencies interference

Just after the Supreme Court took suo moto notice, Former CJP Tassaduq Jilani recused to head the one-member commission formed by the federal cabinet to investigate the matter of the IHC judges’ allegations.

Yesterday, more than 300 lawyers from across the country wrote a letter and demanded to take suo moto notice from the Supreme Court in the matter. Former Chief Justice Tassaduq Jilani’s son Saqib Jilani was also among the letter writers; senior lawyers Salman Akram Raja, Abdul Moeez Jafari, Imaan Mazari, and Renab Janjua were also included.

The letter demanded that to ensure transparency, the matter should not be politicized, and the Supreme Court should lay down guidelines and establish transparent institutional mechanisms in collaboration with all high courts to prevent any attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary in the future.