PTI rejects inquiry commission on judges' letter
PHOTO: FILE
The PTI has announced holding the country’s "biggest ever political rally" in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) provincial capital on Sunday, rejecting the inquiry commission that will probe the allegations leveled by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges.
The rally, scheduled to commence at 2pm on March 31, aims to advocate for the independence of the judiciary and the release of "Prisoner No 804", said PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday.
Gohar was addressing the media along with PTI leaders Sher Afzal Marwat and Faisal Javed after meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan—Prisoner No 804—at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
The announcement of the rally came amid a controversy whipped up by a letter penned by six IHC judges to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
Read more: Commission to probe 'letter controversy' after PM-CJP meeting
In the missive, the judges revealed the coercive tactics employed by intelligence agencies to influence judges—revelations that sent shockwaves across the legal and political landscape.
The PTI chairman disclosed that he had engaged in a 45-minute dialogue with Imran Khan, marking their first interaction following the letter-gate scandal.
Expressing profound dismay over the contents of the letter, Gohar underscored Imran Khan's commitment to upholding the sanctity of the judiciary, asserting that the PTI founder remains deeply perturbed by attempts to manipulate judicial processes.
PTI core committee meeting
In its meeting on Thursday, the PTI Core Committee firmly dismissed the establishment of an inquiry commission by the federal government to probe into the contents of the letter by IHC judges.
It also expressed deep apprehension over Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Qazi Faez Isa’s meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “regarding this critical matter concerning the national judiciary and legal integrity”.
The party reiterated its demand to refer the issue to a larger bench of the Supreme Court for transparent and open proceedings.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the committee emphasised that the judges' letter stands as an indictment against federal government agencies.
It criticised the notion of appointing a retired judge for an inquiry into such a serious matter involving serving high court judges, deeming it a farce lacking independence and impartiality.
The party said the judges' letter has unveiled a significant threat to the judiciary's autonomy. It accused the government “formed by stealing public mandate” of being the prime beneficiary of ongoing unconstitutional interventions in the country.
The party vehemently argued against “an unelected prime minister” or his administration leading any investigation, citing a lack of credibility and impartiality.
Instead, it called upon CJ Isa to ensure justice for fellow judges and prevent the judiciary's fate from falling into the hands of government proxies.
Responding to the judges' plea, the PTI proposed a judicial conference to allow judges at all levels to present their perspectives on the matter, thus ensuring transparency and accountability before the nation.