ISLAMABAD: As letters containing poisonous substances continue to target members of the superior judiciary, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) alleged on Friday that the delivery of these letters to judges was a government conspiracy to harass them.
The statement comes as Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Ali Baqar Najafi became the latest target of the suspicious ‘toxic letters’ received by superior members of the judiciary over the last few days.
The total number of LHC judges receiving the letter reached six. The letter received by Justice Najafi was said to have been handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
Two days ago, eight judges, including Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) received letters containing an unknown powder, suspected to be laced with anthrax.
A day later, the letters containing the suspicious powdery toxic substance were sent to the Supreme Court jurists, including Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, as well as other judges of the LHC.
In a statement today, PTI alleged that the delivery of threatening letters to judges of the Supreme Court and high courts was part of a wider conspiracy aimed at pressurising the judiciary.
The party has called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the matter to ensure that those responsible for attacking the judiciary are swiftly brought to justice.
“Sending threatening letters to judges was part of the government’s plot to intimidate and scare the judges so that they could not give decisions based on justice and law,” the PTI spokesperson said.
Since the SC initiated the proceedings on its suo moto notice case, he said, an alarming upsurge had been witnessed in the process of sending threatening letters filled with poisonous substances to the judges.
The spokesperson stated that the suspicious chemical-laced letters were sent to judges under a well-thought-out plan to create an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in the courts.
He asserted that after the judges raised their voices against the unconstitutional pressure and meddling in the affairs of the judiciary, it was inevitable to bring to forth the elements pressurising the justice system to get decisions of their choice.
The PTI spokesperson went on to say that the sole purpose of sending toxic letters to the judges hearing cases related to PTI was to influence the decisions, adding that sending threatening letters to the judges of the highest courts of the country was a very serious matter and a direct attack on the judiciary.
He demanded that special measures should be taken for the safety and security of all honourable judges of the SC and high courts along with their families without any further delay.
The issue of threatening letters had surfaced when eight judges, including Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) received letters containing an unknown powder, suspected to be laced with anthrax.
Before that, six judges from the IHC voiced their concerns to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) regarding alleged interference by intelligence agencies in the court’s affairs, shining a spotlight on the delicate balance between judicial independence and external influence.
