Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court has disclosed in correspondence to Chief Justice Aamer Farooq that he faced pressure to withdraw from overseeing the audio leaks case.
In his letter, Justice Sattar described how he received directives, purportedly from a high-ranking security official, urging him to recuse himself, especially from examining surveillance practices.
Despite these overtures, Justice Sattar has chosen to disregard the pressure, expressing his conviction that succumbing to such intimidation would gravely undermine the judiciary’s integrity. He underscored the potential damage such interference could inflict on the judicial process.
This controversy arises amidst ongoing litigation involving the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), which Justice Sattar suggests might be part of a targeted effort to manipulate judicial outcomes.
The audio leaks case, linked to petitions by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and Najam Saqib, the son of ex-Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, has been a focal point of alleged judicial interference by elements within the intelligence services. Justice Sattar’s firm stance highlights ongoing concerns about the independence of the judiciary in Pakistan.
