LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad revealed on Friday that he has received numerous complaints and letters, including many verbal reports, alleging interference in judicial matters by certain “institutions.”
Speaking at an event in Rawalpindi, Justice Ahmad lamented, “It is this country’s misfortune that this issue began with the Moulvi Tamizuddin case and persists to this day.”
He continued, “We receive letters, complaints, and oral complaints that interference is being done in the judiciary involving a few institutions — naming them is not appropriate.”
The LHC chief justice expressed satisfaction that the judiciary was “fulfilling its responsibilities without any fear or greed.”
Referring to recent claims by a sessions judge of a Sargodha Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) about interference by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Justice Ahmad quoted the judge’s complaint: “I am ready for any sacrifice that I might have to make but I would not do injustice to anyone.”
Justice Ahmad acknowledged receiving other similar complaints, noting that many were not in written form as evidence would be difficult to provide.
Addressing subordinate judges, he advised, “Temporary worries do come, but you have to face them eye to eye and not be a target of any blackmailing. Do not be hesitant to make any kind of sacrifice.”
Expressing confidence, he asserted, “I have full faith that this interference of the establishment in the judiciary will come to an end very soon.” He based this belief on both his faith and experience.
On Wednesday, Justice Ahmad summoned Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Anwar and other officials in response to a complaint by a Sargodha ATC judge alleging harassment by intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
The LHC registrar’s office received a special report on June 7 from District & Sessions Judge (DSJ) Muhammad Abbas. He reported that on May 25, his first day as Sargodha ATC judge, an ISI authority requested a meeting in his chamber, which he declined. Following this, DSJ Abbas alleged encountering various incidents, including firing outside his ATC and harassment of his family.
A day earlier, the Punjab IG informed the LHC that an investigation into the alleged threats had been launched.
“If excuses are to be made, then the courts should be closed,” Justice Ahmad remarked, reserving the verdict on the matter.
Earlier in March, six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges out of a total of eight had written a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) members, detailing attempts to pressure judges through the abduction and torture of their relatives and secret surveillance inside their homes. This prompted the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice, leading to high courts submitting their responses and recommendations as proceedings continued.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
