ISLAMABAD: The Islam­abad Bar Council (IBC) on Tuesday condemned and denounced a “baseless” and “frivolous reference” against Islamabad High Court senior puisne judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Dawn.com reported.

A day earlier, a former office-bearer of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) had filed a complaint before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Kayani.

Former IHCBA general secretary Mohammad Waqas alleged that IHC Justice Kayani “waged a war against the forces of Pakistan in a planned manner by inducing and convincing other judges of high court”.

Justice Kayani is among the six judges who recently wrote a letter to the SJC detailing alleged harassment at the hands of state institutions. In the letter, the judges had accused the intelligence apparatus of interference in judicial affairs, including attempts to pressure judges through abduction and torture of their relatives and secret surveillance inside their homes.

Attempts being made to erode public trust in judiciary, notes bar council

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Islamabad Bar Council said Vice Chairman Adil Aziz Qazi expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the move. The filing of the “baseless reference” was deemed to be an “affront to the esteemed judiciary” and was regarded as a “blatant abuse” of the legal process, he added.

According to the statement, Justice Kayani had served the judiciary with the “utmost dedication, impartiality and integrity”, adding that the judge’s “unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and dispensing justice fairly is commendable and beyond reproach”.

It said it was “imperative” for the legal community as the guardians of justice to “vehemently condemn such malicious attempts to undermine the judiciary and tarnish the reputation of our esteemed judges”, adding that “frivolous references” not only wasted valuable judicial resources but also eroded public trust in the legal system.

The bar council statement added that the IBC unequivocally condemned the filing of the complaint, stood in solidarity with the judge and reaffirmed the body’s unwavering support for judicial independence and integrity. “Let it be known that the legal fraternity will not tolerate any attempts to undermine the sanctity of our judicial institutions,” it concluded.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2024