The Lahore High Court (LHC) has asked the Prime Minister’s Office to urge all civil and military agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), not to contact any members of the judiciary.
LHC Justice Shahid Karim given a four-page written interim ruling on Saturday in a case involving the harassment of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge in Sargodha.
Former LHC chief justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan issued the suo motu notice in response to a complaint from an ATC judge. Following Khan’s promotion to the Supreme Court, Justice Karim took over the proceedings.
During the previous hearing, Justice Karim instructed the Prime Minister to establish rules for security services. He stated that it was the responsibility of higher authorities to prevent such events.
The formal ruling stipulates that no agency shall “approach or contact” a judge from the superior or subordinate judiciary, or any member of their staff, in the future.
The court further stated that all police officials in Punjab should be instructed not to contact any superior or subordinate judge directly about the merits of any current legal cases before these courts.
It further said that if the directives are violated, the IGP and the chief of police of the division or district shall be held personally liable and prosecuted in contempt of court.
Justice Karim also stated that all ATC judges in Punjab have been directed to download a call recording application and are obligated to record all such calls that they receive and that they believe have been made to influence any judicial proceedings before them.
“A direction has been given to the judges of Anti-Terrorism Courts across Punjab to deal and decide the cases relating to May 9, 2023 expeditiously and on priority,” the court’s ruling stated.
The court also ordered the ATC judge and his staff to participate with the probe.
The court subsequently adjourned the hearing until July 8.
