Imran Khan’s party expresses displeasure over Pakistan Chief Justice’s conduct on meddling by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 2 (ANI): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expressed displeasure over the conduct of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa during the Supreme Court proceedings on the issue of meddling by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. PTI central information secretary Raoof Hasan said that the entire judiciary was on one side while the CJP was on the other.

While addressing a press conference, Raoof Hasan reiterated demand of the party led by the incarcerated former Prime Minister of the country that a full court hear the matter on a daily basis. However, the CJP should disassociate himself from the bench.

Raoof Hasan said meddling in the judicial affairs was a very serious issue but a “spectacle was staged in the apex court” the other day. He said six judges of the high court wrote a letter to the CJP to raise the meddling issue at the Supreme Judicial Council. However, he referred it to the executive and Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif was asked to form a commission to investigate it.

PTI central information secretary said that Shehbaz Sharif and operatives of intelligence agencies were among those implicated in the matter. He stressed that giving responsibility to an implicated person to form the commission and appoint its head to look into the matter was in itself “a crime”.

Hasan believed the practice could not be stopped if punitive actions were not taken against those meddling in judicial affairs. He said the CJP has said that there was no meddling in the judiciary. However, even the common man knew of this, Dawn reported.

He said that the letter written by judges and the high court’s responses were nothing less than an “indictment” and the chief justice should have proceeded with the matter according to the constitution.

He accused the Chief Justice of Pakistan of adopting a different approach as all judges were on the same page but “he was fighting against the entire judiciary.” Hasan further said judges should take tangible and practical measures to erect a firewall against meddling in judicial affairs. However, nobody could judge as to which side the incumbent CJP was standing on despite the Peshawar and Lahore high courts’ suggestions on the matter.

Raoof Hasan also slammed the Punjab government for using force against the protesting farmers who were being forced to sell wheat at a price less than the production cost, according to Dawn report. He recalled that the PTI-led government had taken several initiatives to make Pakistan a welfare state. However, a ‘conspiracy’ was made to topple his government, Dawn reported.

Speaking at the same press conference, PTI core committee member Advocate Abuzar Salman Niazi said that no one would compromise on judicial independence if the judicial process was sabotaged and it would directly affect an individual’s right to access justice.

Niazi said judicial overview kept a check on the executive to ensure it does not breach the constitution. He criticised several petitions filed by the PTI, including those related to May 9 had not been fixed for hearing till date, Dawn reported.

Apart from this, he said there were reports about a move to fix CJP’s tenure for which a constitutional amendment was needed. Abuzar Salman Niazi further said that PTI’s petition regarding reserved seats was being delayed so that the ruling coalition that had the majority in parliament to amend the constitution. He said keeping in view the situation, how the PTI could expect justice from the CJP.