SHC CJ says no attempt made to pressure him

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Commenting on alleged “interference and pressure” on the judiciary, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi on Saturday “categorically” stated that nobody pressurised him about any case.

“Some attempts were made, but, by the grace of God, no one coerced me,” said the SHC chief justice while talking to the media in Karachi. He said this in response to a question posed by a journalist to him. The chief justice’s comments came after six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges in the recent past wrote a letter to the Supreme Court on March 25, accusing spy agencies of meddling in judicial affairs.

The IHC judges had demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa to convene the judicial convention to consider the matter of alleged interference of intelligence operatives in the judicial functions or “intimidation” of judges in a manner that undermined the independence of the judiciary. However, Justice Abbasi clarified that a couple of times such efforts were made which were right away dispelled and later they turned out to be a misunderstanding. He said no attempt had been made to pressurise the Sindh’s judiciary in any case.

He said the judiciary’s independence was reflected through its judgments. He believed that a judge could not be dishonest or corrupt, he said. The SHC CJ said the transfer of the election tribunal’s judge was a normal procedure. The system of judges’ transfer was extremely complex, he said. The SHC CJ statement comes a day after Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shehzad Ahmed Khan said he believed that interference of the establishment in the matters of the judiciary will end soon.

“Interference in the judiciary will have to be fought with faith that it will come to an end,” said the LHC chief justice while addressing the opening ceremony of the judicial complex e-courts in Rawalpindi. Justice Khan said there was an issue of establishment’s interference in the judiciary’s matters, adding that they receive letters claiming involvement in the judicial affairs. “The establishment’s interference in judiciary will end and my experience [tells me] that it will come to an end,” said the judge, assuring that these difficulties will end if there is fear of God.