CJP Qazi Faez Isa also hints at formation of a full court
\nISLAMABAD
\nChief Justice Qazi Faez Isa Wednesday that the Supreme Court will not tolerate any interference in judicial affairs and is taking the letter by Islamabad High Court judges \u201cvery seriously\u201d.
\nThe chief justice further remarked that the letter mentions the Supreme Judicial Council, indicating that it does not address the Supreme Court.
\nCJP Isa\u2019s remark came during the hearing of SC\u2019s suo motu notice taken on the letter written by Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges that cites complaints of interference in judicial affairs by intelligence agencies. The hearing is being conducted by a seven-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising six other judges \u2014 Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.
\nThe SC is conducting live proceedings of the hearing.
\n\u201cJudges must be sure that they are not in danger,\u201d CJP Isa said during the hearing.
\nThe chief justice said he cannot exercise the contempt power of any other court.
\n\u201cThe court which is in contempt will exercise this power itself.\u201d
\n\u201cThere is zero tolerance on the independence of judiciary,\u201d said the chief justice.
\nHowever, the judge questioned lawyers, who demanded a suo motu notice in the aforementioned matter, where they were when not a single meeting of the full court was conducted in four years.
\n\u201cFull court performs the administrative function, not judicial function.,\u201d he said.
\nThe chief justice said: \u201cMy colleagues and I will stand before any attack on the independence of judiciary.\u201d
\nHowever, he maintained that the court does \u201cnot like interference in the work of the judiciary\u201d.
\nHe further remarked: \u201cIf anyone has an agenda\u2026they should become the chief justice. We will not take the pressure; we are working administratively.\u201d
\nDuring the hearing, the AGP read out the trail of events following the IHC judges\u2019 letter including the meetings held between CJP Isa and the judges.
\nThe chief justice, in response to the AGP, said: \u201cWe did not meet at home by hiding from the executive, we did not meet in the chamber. We held a meeting as an administrator, the difference in law is clear.\u201d
\nThe AGP later apprised the court on the government\u2019s decision to appoint former chief justice Tasadduq Hussain Jillani as head of the inquiry commission.
\nThe CJP was also displeased with the discussion being held on social media regarding Justice (retd) Jilani.
\nThe chief justice later remarked that the SC does not have the power to create a commission in the Constitution.
\n\u201cThe authority to form the commission is with the government, we consulted and gave the names,\u201d he said.
\nThe AGP, meanwhile, said that the law does not allow the government to interfere in the commission of inquiry.
\nLater commenting on the independence of judiciary, the AGP said: \u201cI assure you that the federal government will not take any action that will affect the independence of the judiciary.\u201d
\nThe CJP, terming social media as a \u201cnew epidemic\u201d, spoke about the pressure regarding the letter and the events that have unfolded in its wake.
\nAt the outset of the hearing, the CJP Isa clarified that the three-member committee now decide cases and the chief justice\u2019s will is no longer important. \u201cNeither the committee exercise the authority of the court nor the court override the committee\u2019s power.
\nThe CJP was upset about petitions being published in the media before even being filed in the court. He also shared his displeasure over lawyer pressuring the SC to take suo motu notice.
\n\u201cIs it [to impose] pressure? I do not come under anyone\u2019s pressure,\u201d said the chief justice.
\nCJP Isa maintained that lawyers who seek suo motu notice should quit legal practice.
\nThe AGP, following the conclusion of his statement before the court, said that the government stands by the independence of judiciary.
\nAttorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan earlier began his arguments in the matter. The SC has sent a notice for him to appear before the bench.
\nAddressing the AGP, the chief justice remarked that two things must be ascertained in such matters which include, the conduct of an inquiry and bringing the facts to the fore. \u201cWho should carry out these two tasks?\u201d
\nDuring the hearing of the suo motu case, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said: \u201cWe cannot avoid this important issue by hiding our necks in the sand like ostriches.\u201d
\nHe added that the protection of a civil judge, who is under pressure, should be investigated.
\n\u201cWe have to solve this serious matter,\u201d he remarked.
\nPolitical engineering continuing: Justice Athar Minallah
\n\u201cEveryone knows what is happening, but everyone is giving an impression that nothing is happening,\u201d said Justice Minallah.
\nReferring to the contents of the letter, the SC judge said the judges pointed towards political engineering.
\n\u201cPolitical engineering has been going on in the country and the Supreme Court has also been involved.\u201d
\nThe SC judge added that the court cannot close its eyes, as \u201ca lot is happening\u201d.
\n\u201cAll this has been going on since 2017, let\u2019s not open the past,\u201d said Justice Minallah.
\nCJP Isa, intervening in the matter, said that this case may be heard by a full court in the future.
\nHe further added that the IHC judges, in the letter, mentioned that they referred their matter to their chief justice, but he hasn\u2019t done anything.
\nThe high court has its own powers, why is the chief justice not using them,\u201d he remarked.
\nThe CJP said the apex court doesn\u2019t want to interfere in the matters of the high court but can make it aware of its powers.
\nThe hearing was then adjourned till April 29.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CJP Qazi Faez Isa also hints at formation of a full court ISLAMABAD Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa Wednesday that the Supreme Court will not tolerate any interference in judicial affairs and is taking the letter by Islamabad High Court judges \u201cvery seriously\u201d. The chief justice further remarked that the letter mentions the Supreme Judicial […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":398302,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-398289","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n