CJP Bandial forms larger bench to hear pleas against audio leak commission

• A larger bench headed by Bandial will hear the petitions against the panel headed by Justice Isa.
• A high-powered commission was formed to probe the audio leaks related to the judiciary.
• The PTI chief, SCBA president raised questions, challenging the composition of the body.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandyal on Thursday constituted a five-member larger bench to hear petitions against the commission of inquiry probing audio leaks of judges.

A larger bench headed by Chief Justice Bandyal, comprising Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed will hear the case tomorrow (Friday) at 11 am.

Last week, the federal government formed a high-powered judicial commission headed by senior Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faiz Isa to investigate the audio leaks related to the judiciary.

The commission has been tasked to complete the inquiry within 30 days.

Among several audio leaks, the commission will probe the veracity of an alleged call between former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, as well as another call between CM Elahi and a Supreme Court lawyer. . Supreme Court Bench.

Subsequently, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan questioned the government for “deliberate omission” of the Terms of Reference (TORs) and challenged the formation of a three-member government. Judicial Commission On AudioLeaks.

PTI chief’s lawyer and party leader Babar Awan had filed a petition on his behalf, requesting the court to quash the notification of formation of the commission.

Similarly, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Abid Zuberi had also challenged the summoning of the Audio Leaks Commission, directing it to appear before the panel in connection with the inquiry.

Prime Minister Nazir Tarar had earlier said that the government did not consult Chief Justice Bandyal before forming the commission.

The judicial panel – headed by Justice Isa and comprising Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Aamir Farooq – was heard in the widely circulated controversial audio. was framed in the wake of the lex which “raised serious concerns about the independence. impartiality and integrity of the Chief Justices/Judges of the High Courts in the administration of justice”.

Earlier this week, the commission headed by Justice Isa announced that its inquiry proceedings would be made public as it held its first hearing in Courtroom No. 7 of the Supreme Court on Monday.