The judicial commission formed to probe audio leaks issue raised objections to the Supreme Court (SC) bench on Wednesday that was hearing the pleas as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial adjourned the proceedings in the case till next week.
In a reply submitted to SC, the commission stated “it would not be appropriate for this bench to hear these petitions”.
The federal coalition had formed the commission on May 20 under Section 3 of the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017. Led by senior puisne judge Justice Isa, the commission also comprises Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Abid Shahid Zuberi, SCBA Secretary General Muqtedir Akhtar Shabbir, and advocate Riaz Hanif Rahi have filed the petitions against the inquiry commission.
Last week, the top court, while hearing a set of four petitions against the appointment of the commission, restrained the panel from going ahead with its task.
The reserved verdict was issued by a five-member bench comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed.
During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial said “I am sorry to say that efforts have been made regrettably, maybe unknowingly, to draw a wedge between the judges of the court”.
The court also said that new petitions have been filed against the commission and it would hear them next week.
In its response to SC, the commission wondered why its proceedings had been stopped without any notice given to it regarding the matter and why it had not been heard before the stay order was issued.
“The proceedings of the Commission were stopped without hearing the Inquiry Commission,” the response stated.
Moreover, the commission’s response pointed out that no other member of the alleged audio leaks had filed a plea in the Supreme Court nor objected to the commission, adding that several people had confirmed they had no objection to the inquiry.
