ISLAMABAD: A meeting between five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has become the talk of town with some connecting it to an apparent division within the judiciary, while others viewing it as a routine get-together.

The five judges of the IHC — Justice Miangul Hassan Aura­n­gzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sat­tar, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — visited the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday.

According to the informed sources, the judges held separate meetings with CJP Bandial and Senior Puisne Judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

These meetings, according to sources, lasted two-and-a-half hours. A senior official of the IHC said these judges had gone to the Supreme Court to invite CJP Bandial and Justice Isa to the newly-constructed building of the high court, which will become operational on May 22 (tomorrow).

High court’s CJ was not part of five-man delegation; pending political cases discussed at huddle

However, insiders have deemed the development as more than a simple invitation. According to them, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had already extended an invitation to CJP Bandial, who had agreed to attend the event at the IHC during the last week of the current month.

Interestingly, IHC Chief Justice Far­ooq had on May 9 disposed of the petition against Mr Khan’s arrest, declaring that the arrest was not per se illegal.

On May 10, a controversy gripped the IHC when its Senior Puisne Judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani released an incomplete order in the Tyrian White case, while the IHC chief justice had already dissolved the bench.

Observers referred to this as a division within the IHC in the line of apex court.

According to the sources, CJP Bandial inquired about the absence of IHC chief justice from the judges’ delegation. He was informed that Justice Aamer Farooq was out of station.

The sources said the delegation of IHC judges first held a meeting with CJP Bandial and then with Justice Isa.

The sources further said the judges deliberated upon the superior judiciary’s response to the PTI-related cases and reaction from the state institutions and ruling alliance to it.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2023