Clash between Pakistan judiciary & military establishment intensifies
Islamabad: The clash between Pakistan’s superior judiciary and the powerful military establishment has intensified as judges have started questioning the conduct of serving army and Inter-Services Intelligence officers over their blatant interference in judicial matters.
Several high court and lower court judges have complained that since May 9, 2023 Pakistan’s powerful authorities (army, ISI) have tried to pressure them using intimidatory tactics such as secret surveillance, and even abduction and torture of their family members, to secure favourable outcomes in political cases related to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party and its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan.
Addressing an event in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Friday, Lahore high court chief justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad claimed he has received complaints — many verbally — and letters regarding interference in judicial matters by “institutions” (a reference to the army and ISI).
“But I have full faith that this interference of the (military) establishment in the judiciary will come to its end very soon,” he asserted.
He said he was saying so not just because it was “part of my faith but also includes my experience”.
“To get rid of the (military) establishment’s interference, we have to face it with bravery, courage, and without any fear, and with the belief that this interference, God-willing, will end soon,” the Lahore CJ said. “Temporary worries do come but you have to face them eye to eye and not be a target of any of their blackmailing. Do not be hesitant to make any kind of sacrifice,” he added.
Justice Ahmad said Pakistan was currently “going through one of the longest periods of a civil government”, adding that the 2007 lawyers’ movement “closed the doors for martial law forever”.
On Wednesday, the Lahore HC had summoned Punjab police chief Usman Anwar and other officials on a complaint from a presiding judge of an anti-terrorism court alleging harassment by intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
On June 7, the HC registrar’s office had received a special report on district and sessions judge Muhammad Abbas wherein he had said that on May 25, the first day of his new charge, a message was conveyed to him that some ISI authority wanted to meet him in his chamber.
Upon refusing to meet the said authority, Abbas alleged that ever since then he had been encountering various incidents, such as firing outside his court in Punjab’s Sargodha city and questioning of family members, among other things.
Earlier, in March, six of the eight Islamabad HC judges had penned a startling letter to Supreme Court judges, regarding attempts by the ISI to pressure them through the abduction and torture of their relatives as well as secret surveillance inside their homes. Following the letter, judges from other HCs also acknowledged interference by spy agencies in judicial functions.
It led the apex court to take suo motu notice of the matter, with high courts submitting their responses and recommendations as proceedings continued.
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