‘Anthrax-laced’ letters sent to judges: PM Shehbaz assures of investigation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that an investigation will be conducted into letters with suspicious powder received by some judges.

The development occurred in the wake of a letter written by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), alleging interference in judiciary matters, sparking controversy.

Addressing the federal cabinet today, the premier said the matter of the suspicious letters will be taken up with a sense of responsibility, emphasizing there should be no politics regarding the matter.

PM Shehbaz also said an inquiry commission was formed after the consent and consultation of former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to look into issues raised by the six judges of IHC.

“The former chief justice recused himself from heading the inquiry commission and the Supreme Court has now taken suo motu notice,” the premier said.

On March 27, six IHC judges had written a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the alleged “interference” and “intimidation” by the “operatives of intelligence agencies” in judicial matters.

The suspicious letters

On April 3, eight IHC judges, including Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, received suspicious anthrax-laced letters raising security alarms within the judicial community.

A day later it was reported that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and four judges of the Supreme Court also received what sources called ‘anthrax-laced’ letters.

They said that the letter contained threatening images and anthrax powder. The letters were allegedly signed by a woman named Resham, wife of Waqar Hussain.

Meanwhile, more than 300 members of the legal fraternity from across the country have joined hands and put their weight behind the six IHC judges and called upon the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the alleged meddling into judiciary’s affairs by the state’s intelligence agencies under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, and rejecting the related inquiry panel formed by the federal government.