Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court has once again brought attention to alleged interference by the security establishment in the judicial process, claiming that he was pressured to step back from involvement in the audio leaks case.
In a letter addressed to IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Sattar detailed the incident, asserting that he was instructed to distance himself from the case.
Earlier this month, Justice Sattar rejected a plea filed by the Intelligence Bureau seeking withdrawal of its petition for the judge’s recusal from the audio leaks case. In April, he imposed fines of Rs500,000 each on the FIA, PTA, and PEMRA while dismissing their requests for his recusal. Additionally, he hinted at initiating contempt proceedings against these entities.
The case revolves around petitions filed last year by Bushra Bibi, the spouse of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Najam Saqib, son of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, concerning alleged audio leaks.
Justice Sattar alleged that he received a message from a senior official in the security establishment urging him to withdraw from the case and refrain from scrutinizing surveillance methods.
He was one of six judges who penned a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council in March, urging a judicial convention to address alleged intelligence agency interference in the judiciary.
“We believe that individual judges should not have to exhibit the same level of courage as Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, to combat persecution by the executive alone, or the same resolve as Justice Siddiqui, to persist in rectifying a wrong long after being removed from office,” stated the 12-page letter addressed to the five members of the Supreme Judicial Council.
In his letter dated Tuesday, Justice Sattar expressed his disregard for such threatening communications, asserting that they would not sway the justice system.
He suggested that the malicious focus on cases related to the PTA seemed designed to undermine judicial proceedings through nefarious means.
Moreover, the court issued notices to intelligence and investigative agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, and Federal Investigation Agency, in the audio leaks case. Notices were also issued to regulatory bodies, PTI, and PEMRA.
