IHC judges’ allegations: Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to lead inquiry commission

Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani will lead the inquiry commission on the IHC judges’ allegations.

The development comes as the federal cabinet on Saturday “approved” the constitution of an inquiry commission over allegations of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges and appointed former CJP Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani as its head.

The federal cabinet finally convened after the postponement of three meetings to take up the issue of alleged meddling by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

The cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was held in Lahore with several ministers participating via video link.

The cabinet was to approve the constitution of a commission of inquiry to probe the allegations levelled by judges of Islamabad High Court.

A source said that the one-member commission would hold an inquiry into the allegations levelled by the judges in a letter and will submit its report in 60 days.

According to the source, officials of bureaucracy and other irrelevant persons were told to leave the room when the matter of the letter was discussed during the cabinet meeting. The cabinet members gave the right to appoint the commission’s head to the PM expressing full support for whoever he appoints. 

The six IHC judges, including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz, on March 26 sent a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), urging it to convene a judicial convention over the alleged interference of intelligence agencies in judicial affairs.

In response to the letter, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa had on March 28 said that meddling by the executive in the affairs and “judicial workings of Judges will not be tolerated” come what may.

The chief justice and PM had agreed in the meeting held at the Supreme Court in Islamabad, to form an inquiry commission.