ISLAMABAD: A suspicious letter was sent to all members of the Islamabad High Court a week after six judges complained about interference and intimidation.
The letter, received by all eight judges of the court including Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, purportedly came from a woman named Resham, the wife of a man named Waqar Hussain. Upon opening, staff members of two judges discovered an unidentified powder inside the envelopes.
Additionally, the letters contained a ‘threatening’ symbol, details of which were not disclosed.
In response to the receipt of these letters, Islamabad’s Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General were promptly summoned to the court.
Furthermore, a specialized police team has been called in to examine the powder found in the envelopes, though no definitive statement has been issued thus far.
This incident follows closely on the heels of six judges from the court addressing a letter to the Supreme Court, outlining instances of intimidation and interference by intelligence agencies.
These six judges have called for a judicial convention to address the alleged interference of intelligence agencies in the judiciary, emphasizing that judges should not have to face persecution alone.
The letter, spanning 12 pages and addressed to the five members of the Supreme Judicial Council, was signed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Rafat Imtiaz.
The document referenced at least two previous letters to the IHC chief justice on the same matter over the past two years, detailing events where alleged interference of spy agencies and the executive in the judiciary was observed.
Among these events was the case of former jurist Justice Siddiqui, who accused operatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence of determining bench compositions. He was subsequently removed based on a Supreme Judicial Council report but later restored by the Supreme Court.
The judges who penned the letter supported Justice Siddiqui’s request to investigate his allegations and urged for an expansion of the investigation’s scope.
They also highlighted instances where judges involved in cases against former Prime Minister Imran Khan had sought additional security due to threats, and where family members of judges had faced abduction and intimidation.
In their call for a judicial convention, the judges emphasized the need for an institutional response to safeguard the independence of the judiciary, citing it as a fundamental aspect of the Constitution meant to uphold justice and protect rights.
Furthermore, they suggested that such a convention could shed light on whether judges in other high courts have faced similar experiences and could aid the Supreme Court in devising measures to protect judicial independence and hold those accountable who seek to undermine it.
