Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday that the government would place the letter from six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges alleging interference from intelligence agencies before the federal cabinet for the formation of an inquiry commission.
He made these remarks while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
The presser followed a meeting today between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa. According to Radio Pakistan, Tarar and Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan were also present during the meeting.
After the meeting, Chief Justice Isa summoned a second consecutive full-court meeting to discuss the matter.
The CJP held the first full-court meeting on Wednesday to review allegations levelled by six out of eight IHC judges.
Speaking to the media after the meeting between the premier and the CJP, law minister Tarar said first of all, the matter needed to be thoroughly investigated.
He further said the prime minister will place this letter before the federal cabinet, which meets on Friday for a weekly session.
“The prime minister will request a neutral, non-partisan and retired judge to head an inquiry commission and submit a report after investigating in accordance with the law,” Tarar said.
According to the law minister, PM Shehbaz assured CJP Isa of a thorough investigation into the matter
“The prime minister point-blank said there will be no compromise on the independence of the judiciary.”
Tarar said he and the Attorney General will draft the initial terms of reference for the commission. These terms will outline the scope of the investigation, which is expected to delve into both the current controversy and potentially past relevant events, adhering to legal limitations.
To ensure transparency, the commission’s head will be chosen by the cabinet and his identity will be revealed after the selection process. The government aims to finalize the commission’s formation within the next two to four days, following Friday’s cabinet meeting.
Tarar said there was no need for a suo motu notice since there was an existing mechanism within the government to investigate such matters.
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