The federal cabinet has approved the constitution of an inquiry commission to investigate allegations made by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges. Former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, has been appointed as the head of the commission. The inquiry commission, solely headed by Justice Jillani, will investigate allegations levelled by the judges in a letter. The cabinet has also given the go-ahead to the terms of reference (ToRs) of the commission. The inquiry commission will submit its report in 60 days.
The cabinet members have strongly refuted the allegations of executive interference in judicial matters, as stated in the judges’ letter. They were unanimous in their belief that the constitution upholds the principle of separation of powers among the state institutions. The Prime Minister, in particular, reiterated his commitment to the independence of the judiciary and the principle of constitutional separation of powers. The cabinet’s full endorsement and support of the PM’s decisions and actions in this matter further reinforce their stance.
IHC Judges Urge Supreme Judicial Council to Convene Judicial Convention Over Alleged Interference
On March 26, the IHC judges sent a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), urgently calling for a judicial convention. The convention addresses the alleged interference of intelligence agencies in judicial affairs, which is a matter of utmost importance. In response, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, made it clear that any meddling by the executive in the affairs and ‘judicial workings of Judges will not be tolerated ‘.
Former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, has been appointed as the head of the inquiry commission. After serving for more than ten years as a Supreme Court judge, including a brief tenure as the CJP, Jillani retired as the top judge on July 10, 2014. Known to be a “balanced” judge, Justice Jillani delivered key rulings of great significance on domestic and international concerns.
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