PTI Rejects Formation Of Inquiry Commission To Address IHC Judges’ Concerns
Barrister Gohar Khan says that the commission that look into the Memogate scandal and 2013 general elections rigging should be formed to investigate allegations of the IHC judges regarding interference in the judicial matters.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) advocated for the creation of an inquiry commission to address the concerns raised by judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). They proposed a commission akin to previous ones established to investigate issues such as the Memogate scandal and allegations of rigging in the 2013 elections.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the PTI leader, expressed the party’s opposition to the commission being led by a retired judge. He insisted that serving judges should be included in the commission, arguing that former judges do not possess the same level of authority as active judges.
Earlier in the day, the Federal government established an inquiry commission, appointing former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to lead the investigation into the allegations of intelligence agencies’ interference in the judiciary, as raised by six IHC judges.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed this decision during the federal cabinet session. The six IHC judges had penned a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on March 26, urging it to convene a judicial convention to address the issue of alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial functions.
The judges who authored the letters include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Baqir Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Salman Rafat Imtiaz.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa responded to the IHC’s allegations by emphasizing that any executive branch interference in judicial affairs would not be tolerated.
He reiterated that the independence of the judiciary must remain uncompromised to uphold the rule of law and democracy.