I was threatened to back off in audio leaks case: Justice Sattar

IHC judge pens another letter to Chief Justice Aamer Farooq regarding alleged interference in judiciary

Islamabad High Court’s judge, Justice Babar Sattar, has penned another letter to IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq regarding alleged interference in the judiciary, Express News reported.

In the letter, Justice Sattar reportedly disclosed that a 'top official' from the security establishment threatened him to back off from scrutinising surveillance procedures in the audio leaks case.

Justice Sattar asserted, "I paid no heed to such intimidation tactics... I did not consider that such messages risked causing substantial harm to the process of justice."

He highlighted that the focus of the malicious campaign in PTA-related cases appears to be an intimidation tactic aimed at influencing judicial proceedings.

Regarding the audio leaks case, the court has issued notices to secret and investigative agencies, concerned ministries, regulatory bodies, ISI, IB, FIA, PTA, and PEMRA.

Justice Sattar's letter to CJ Farooq surfaced on the same day Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, in a rare press talk, refuted allegations of government or any other state institution interfering in judicial matters.

Also read: Attorney general denies allegations of any interference in judciary

"According to my information, no officer of any security establishment has contacted or can contact any member of the judiciary. And the contact that was made was done through the AGP's office to ensure sensitive information was not made public," AGP Awan stated.

Awan's remarks followed the commencement of hearings by the IHC on two contempt pleas regarding the character assassination of IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani on social media and the leaking of Justice Babar Sattar's personal details.

In March, six judges of the Islamabad High Court reached out to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) seeking clarity on alleged intrusion by executive members, including intelligence operatives, in judicial matters.

Six judges of the IHC—Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz—penned a letter to the SJC led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, expressing concerns about the "interference" of intelligence agencies in court affairs.