SC rejects PDM-led govt’s objections over larger bench

The Supreme Court of Pakistan delivered a decisive verdict on Friday, rejecting the objections raised by the government led by Shehbaz Sharif regarding the formation of a larger bench to oversee a judicial inquiry commission investigating audio leaks allegedly involving both current and former members of the superior judiciary, as well as their family members.

Justice Ijazul Hassan, in a reserved judgment, strongly asserted that the government’s objections against the judges amounted to an attack on the judiciary itself.

In a unanimous decision, the court dismissed the objections raised by the previous government against three judges. This ruling sends an unequivocal message that the independence of the judiciary is sacrosanct and not open to negotiation.

Previously, a five-member bench, which had been tasked with evaluating Abid Zubiri’s constitutional petition against the commission, had reserved its decision.

Regarding the commission itself, the federal government had established a three-member judicial commission on May 20 to investigate the audio leaks related to judges. The commission is composed of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court Aamer Farooq, with Justice Isa leading the commission. The government expressed its concerns through a notification, citing the controversial audio leaks involving a former Chief Justice of Pakistan, which had raised serious questions about the impartiality of judges.

These audio recordings featuring Chief Justices and High Court judges had eroded public confidence in their impartiality, as stated in the notification.

Furthermore, on May 22, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court challenging the judicial commission formed to investigate the audio leaks.