The federal government appointed a three-member judicial commission on Saturday, led by Supreme Court senior puisne judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa, to investigate the numerous audio leaks involving the judiciary.
Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Islamabad High Court (IHC) CJ Aamer Farooq are also members of the judicial commission.
The commission has been given 30 days to finish the work.
“WHEREAS, recently wide circulations of controversial audios have been witnessed on the national electronic, print, and social media, allegedly regarding the Judiciary and former Chief Justices/Judges, conversation raising serious apprehensions about the independence, impartiality, and uprightness of the Chief Justices/Judges of the Superior Courts in the administration of justice,” the government stated in a notification.
It went on to say that such audio leaks had damaged public trust and generated severe doubts about the “independence, impartiality, and uprightness of the Chief Justices/Judges of the Superior Courts.”
“It is critical to investigate the authenticity, correctness, and veracity of these audio leaks in order to restore not only the judiciary’s credibility, but also public trust and confidence in the Judiciary in the larger public interest, as a matter of definite public importance,” it added.
Because the integrity and character of chief justices/judges are critical for maintaining public trust and confidence in the administration of justice, the government stated that it was critical to investigate the authenticity and veracity of these audio leaks in order to restore the judiciary’s credibility.
The judiciary is one of the fundamental pillars of the Constitution, according to the notification, and if its independence is harmed, society’s trust is shattered.
