Pakistani Judge Threatened to Withhold Cooperation in Audio Leaks Case

They include justices Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz.A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa is hearing the case, according to The Express Tribune.The latest letter shows the increasing polarization in Pakistans top judiciary and the security establishment on the issue of alleged interference by the intelligence agencies in the affairs of judiciary.

A Pakistan high court judge alleged in a letter that an official of a security agency asked him to stop pursuing cases of audio leaks involving high-profile conversations.

According to The Express Tribune, Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) addressed the letter to IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq regarding alleged interference in the judiciary.

Justice Sattar reportedly disclosed that a 'top official' from the security establishment threatened him to back off from scrutinising surveillance procedures in the audio leaks case.

Justice Sattar asserted, ''I paid no heed to such intimidation tactics... I did not consider that such messages risked causing substantial harm to the process of justice.'' He highlighted that the focus of the malicious campaign in the cases related to Pakistan Telecom Authority appears to be an intimidation tactic aimed at influencing judicial proceedings.

Regarding the audio leaks case, the court has issued notices to secret and investigative agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence, the premier spy agency of the country.

Justice Sattar's letter to CJ Farooq surfaced on the same day Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, in a rare press talk, refuted allegations of the government or any other state institution interfering in judicial matters.

''According to my information, no officer of any security establishment has contacted or can contact any member of the judiciary. And the contact that was made was done through the AGP's office to ensure sensitive information was not made public,'' Awan stated.

Awan's remarks followed the commencement of hearings by the IHC on two contempt pleas regarding the character assassination of IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani on social media and the leaking of Justice Babar Sattar's personal details.

In March, six judges of the IHC reached out to the Supreme Court seeking clarity on alleged intrusion by executive members, including intelligence operatives, in judicial matters. They include justices Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz.

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa is hearing the case, according to The Express Tribune.

The latest letter shows the increasing polarization in Pakistan’s top judiciary and the security establishment on the issue of alleged interference by the intelligence agencies in the affairs of judiciary.