In a remarkable step, six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges have formally inquired with the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) regarding perceived executive overreach into judiciary affairs. The judges, including Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani and Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, expressed their concerns through a letter directed at the SJC, chaired by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. They highlighted the disturbing trend of intelligence agencies meddling in judicial processes.
The letter proposes a judicial convention to address and mitigate these interferences to safeguard judicial independence. This initiative follows a significant Supreme Court verdict invalidating the dismissal of IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, marking his status as retired. The ruling shed light on the SJC’s handling of Siddiqui’s case, suggesting a dismissal of the gravity of his allegations without proper examination.
The IHC judges’ correspondence underscores the lack of clear protocols for responding to threats to judicial freedom and stresses the urgency of establishing mechanisms to counteract such challenges.
The narrative has now pivoted towards the SJC’s response, with legal circles keenly awaiting action, particularly in the wake of calls for suo motu intervention by the Supreme Court. The letter not only seeks to confront the issue of executive interference but also advocates for a collective judicial stance to affirm the judiciary’s autonomy and outline a response strategy for judges facing such pressures.
