Lawyers call upon the SC to use suo moto powers to probe IHC judges letter

More than 300 lawyers across the country have urged the Supreme Court to initiate proceedings under Article 184(3) on the Islamabad High Court Judges’ letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan alleging “interference” by the executive in judicial matters.

On March 26, six IHC judges — Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz — wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), demanding a judicial convention over the alleged meddling of spy agencies in legal matters.

Last week, the CJP met with the Prime Minister to discuss this matter and it was mutually agreed to make an inquiry commission chaired by a retired judge to investigate the allegations.

“We further call upon the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take cognisance of the matter in its jurisdiction under Article 184(3) of the Constitution as this issue eminently relates to the public interest and to the enforcement of fundamental rights,” the lawyers’ statement came after the commission was approved by the federal cabinet.