Barrister Gohar Khan says that the commission that look into the Memogate scandal and 2013 general elections rigging should be formed to investigate allegations of the IHC judges regarding interference in the judicial matters.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-March 30th, 2024) The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday called for the establishment of an inquiry commission to investigate the concerns raised by Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges, similar to previous commissions that looked into the Memogate scandal and allegations of rigging in the 2013 elections.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the PTI leader, voiced the party's rejection of the commission to be led by a retired judge. He demanded that the serving judges should be part of the commission. He argued that former judges wield authority comparable to that of civil judges.
Earlier in the day, the Federal government formed an inquiry commission, with former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani appointed to head the investigation into the allegations of intelligence agencies' interference in the judiciary as raised by six IHC judges.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif disclosed this decision during the federal cabinet session. The six IHC judges had written a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on March 26, urging it to convene a judicial convention to address the issue of intelligence agencies' purported meddling in judicial functions.
The judges who wrote the letters include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Baqir Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Salman Rafat Imtiaz.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa responded to the IHC's allegations by emphasizing that any interference by the executive branch in judicial affairs would not be tolerated.
He reiterated that the independence of the judiciary must remain uncompromised to uphold the rule of law and democracy.
