Apex court rejects PDM’s objections in audio-leaks case

The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has firmly dismissed objections raised by the previous government, led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), regarding the composition of the judicial panel set to handle a case involving leaked audio recordings. This decision comes as a significant development in a case that has been a focal point of national attention.

In May 2023, a five-member larger bench of the apex court was established, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial. The panel also included Justice Ijazul Ahsen, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Shahid Waheed. Their mission was to hear petitions challenging the former government’s decision to establish a commission led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa. This commission’s purpose was to investigate leaked audio recordings implicating judges from the SCP.

The PDM government had voiced objections, specifically targeting Chief Justice Bandial, Justice Ahsan, and Justice Akhtar, citing concerns about their impartiality.

In response to these objections, Abid Shahid Zuberi, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), filed a petition urging the SCP to declare the commission’s formation as illegal. The final verdict, delivered by Justice Ijazul Ahsan on Friday, categorically labeled the government’s objections against the judges as an “attack on the independence of the judiciary.”

The SCP had reserved this verdict on June 6, following an earlier decision on May 26 when the larger bench temporarily suspended the government’s notification establishing the commission until May 31. This suspension was implemented to allow the bench more time for deliberation, a decision communicated by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial in a concise statement.