IHC slams social media campaign against Justice Babar Sattar

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Sunday slammed the social media campaign against Justice Babar Sattar, terming it ‘false and malicious.’

“Justice Babar Sattar has never had any nationality other than that of Pakistan,” said a press release from the Islamabad High Court.

A social media campaign accused Justice Babar Sattar of holding a US nationality and having a business interest in a private school in the country.

The malicious campaign against Justice Babar Sattar started after a letter was written to the Supreme Judicial Council.

The IHC’s public relations officer in a statement said: “Justice Babar Sattar has never had any nationality other than that of Pakistan. He studied law at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and pursued graduate education at Harvard Law School. He worked as a lawyer with a law firm in New York and while living and working in the US, was issued a Permanent Resident Card (also called green card) after being regarded as a person of extraordinary ability. He left his job in the US in 2005 and returned to Pakistan and has lived and worked in Pakistan since then.

“Justice Babar Sattar’s wife and children are citizens of Pakistan and the US. They were living in the US till 2021, but returned to Pakistan after Justice Babar Sattar was appointed as a judge of the IHC and now live in Islamabad.”

The IHC PRO added all the properties that Justice Sattar held, whether in the US or Pakistan, were either inherited or bought while he was a lawyer and they were registered in the tax returns. He bought no property since he became the judge, the official said.

The statement added that prior to Justice Sattar’s elevation as a judge of the IHC, he had reported to the IHC chief justice that he was a Pakistani national and had a green card that allowed him to travel to the US without a visa.

According to the IHC statement, the judge’s mother was an educationist who established a school in Rawalpindi in 1992 as its sole proprietor. While Sattar had no ownership interest in it and was not involved with its management.

However, it said, before being appointed a judge, his law firm acted as legal adviser to the school and received a retainer fee for its legal services.

“Justice Babar Sattar owns real estate assets in Pakistan and the US, which are listed in his Tax Returns and were scrutinised by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan before his elevation as the judge.

“All real estate assets that he owns are either inherited or were acquired while he was a lawyer. He has acquired no real estate assets since he was appointed a judge. He is not involved with the management of any business entity,” it said.

The IHC official said as a judge he had not presided over any case wherein any of his family members had any interest.

“This press release is being issued as the IHC is committed to upholding and enforcing the code of conduct for judges of the high court, and as an institution exercising public authority, it remains accountable to the people of Pakistan.”