ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday rejected the constitution of a seven-member larger bench of the Supreme Court to hear the suo moto case concerning the letter penned by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges.
The party’s spokesperson, Raoof Hasan, has demanded a full court bench for the proceedings and urged for live telecast of the hearings.
According to Hasan, PTI will not accept the verdict of the seven-member bench, alleging that it comprises “favourite judges.” The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Qazi Faez Isa, initiated the suo moto notice after receiving the letter from the IHC judges, in which they alleged interference.
The six serving judges of the IHC expressed concerns over the alleged interference in judicial functions and urged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to summon a judicial convention to review the matter.
The Supreme Court’s larger bench, appointed to hear the case, includes Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 11:30 am.
Former Chief Justice (retired) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani declined to head the inquiry commission on the IHC judges’ letter, as appointed by the federal cabinet. In a letter addressed to PM Shehbaz Sharif, Justice Jillani stated that he reviewed the letter to the Supreme Judicial Council and concluded that it does not fall under Article 209.
