ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has expressed dismay 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, alleging that the entire judiciary was on one side while the CJP was on the other.

PTI central information secretary Raoof Hasan at a press conference on Wednesday reiterated the party demand that a full court hear the matter on a daily basis, but the CJP should disassociate himself from the bench.

Mr Hasan, accompanied by former chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khursheed and PTI core committee member Advocate Abuzar Salman Niazi, said meddling in the judicial affairs was a very serious issue but unfortunately a “spectacle was staged in the apex court” the other day. He said six judges of the high court penned a letter to the CJP to take up the meddling issue at the Supreme Judicial Council, but he referred it to the executive and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was asked to form a commission to probe it.

He said one should not forget that the PM and operatives of intelligence agencies were among those implicated in the matter, adding that giving responsibility to an implicated person to constitute the commission and appoint its head to look into the matter was in itself “a crime”.

Mr Hasan believed the practice could not be reined in if punitive actions were not taken against those meddling in judicial affairs. He said the CJP claimed there was no meddling in judiciary on his watch, but even common man was aware of this.

He said the judges’ letter and the high courts’ responses were nothing less than “indictment” and the chief justice should have proceeded the matter as per the constitution. He alleged that the CJP adopted entirely a different approach as all judges were on the same page but “he was fighting against the entire judiciary”. He further said judges should take tangible and practical measures to erect a firewall against meddling in judicial affairs, but nobody could judge as to which side the incumbent CJP was standing at present despite the suggestions of the Peshawar and Lahore high courts on the matter.

Mr Hasan also criticised the Punjab government for using force against the protesting farmers who were being compelled to sell wheat at a price less than the production cost. He recalled that Imran-led government had taken several initiatives to make Pakistan a welfare state, but a ‘conspiracy’ was hatched to topple his government.

Abuzar Niazi told the presser that no one would compromise on judicial independence, because if judicial process was sabotaged, it would directly impact an individual’s right to access to justice. He said judicial overview kept a check on the executive to ensure it does not violate the constitution.

He lamented that several petitions filed by the PTI including those related to May 9 had not been fixed for hearing till date.

Besides, there were reports about a move to fix CJP’s tenure for which constitutional amendment was needed, he said, adding that PTI’s petition regarding reserved seats was being delayed so that the ruling coalition had the required majority in parliament to amend the constitution. In such situation, he asked how the PTI could expect justice from the CJP.

Ex-CM Khursheed said some judges had received life threats from non-state actors and some had got threatening calls regarding their children. “We don’t know who is behind this,” he said, claiming that the Iddat case decision was given in a similar fashion, which was the worst case in history.

Separately, the PTI nominated Barrister Ali Zafar as its parliamentary leader in the Senate. PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan informed the Senate chairman about it with the request that its notification be issued at the earliest.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2024