On Monday, Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Justice Babar Sattar dismissed several recusal requests made by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in a case concerning audio leaks.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) also submitted a similar plea, prompting Justice Sattar to summon its Joint Director, Tariq Mehmood, to the next session, the date of which remains pending.
These developments unfolded as the court addressed last year’s petitions by Bushra Bibi, the spouse of ex-Premier Imran Khan, and Najam Saqib, the son of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar. They contested alleged audio leaks implicating them in corrupt practices.
Previously, Justice Sattar had tasked intelligence agencies and the PTA with tracing the source of the audio leak while instructing PEMRA against broadcasting unauthorized conversations.
The Prime Minister’s Office submitted a report clarifying that it does not meddle with intelligence operations and maintains a strict constitutional boundary with these agencies.
At a later hearing, the PTA admitted its inability to pinpoint the originator of the leaked audio on social media.
Following a separate petition by Bushra Bibi in December regarding another leaked audio, the IHC called for comprehensive reports from various agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and PEMRA, and directed the PTA to launch an investigation.
More recently, PEMRA and the PTA, FIA, and IB requested Justice Sattar’s withdrawal from the case, citing precedents set by other benches. Last week, the IHC flagged a “malicious campaign” against Justice Sattar on social media after he and other judges alleged interference by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.
During today’s proceedings, the Attorney General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, appeared, and senior counsel Aitzaz Ahsan provided legal support to the court.
Justice Sattar decided against the recusal motions, imposing fines of Rs500,000 each on the FIA, PTA, and PEMRA, and hinted at possible contempt proceedings.
The session also involved a sharp exchange between Justice Sattar and Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal regarding the FIA’s link to alleged judicial interference by intelligence agencies, with the judge dismissing any connection.
The hearing proceeded with Ahsan commending the judiciary’s firm stance and emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional governance and timely elections.
The hearing concluded with Justice Sattar inviting Ahsan to further assist in the upcoming session, either in person or through written submissions, with the subsequent date for the hearing to be announced in the day’s written order.
