Judges’ letter: Ex-CJP Jillani recuses himself from heading commission

ISLAMABAD: Former chief justice (retd) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has recused himself from heading a commission to inquire into allegations of Islamabad High Court’s six judges who have accused personnel of intelligence agencies of interfering in judicial matters.

Jillani informed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of his decision through a letter, citing personal engagements as the reason for his inability to lead the commission.

The development comes two days after the government appointed Jillani as the head of the one-member commission tasked with probing the matter.

The former chief justice expressed his gratitude to the prime minister, the cabinet, the chief justice and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah for their confidence in him. He suggested that it would be appropriate for the chief justice to decide on the issue at the institutional level.

In the letter, Justice (retd) Jillani further stated that the high court judges had written a letter seeking the matter to be probed by the Supreme Judicial Council.

“The Supreme Judicial Council itself is a constitutional body, and for me to inquire into this matter would violate judicial propriety, even though the high court judges’ letter does not fully fall under Article 209,” he said and added that the chief justice could better resolve the issue at an institutional level.

Justice (retd) Jillani also wrote that the terms of reference (TORs) for the commission do not align with the matter, as the judges had discussed institutional consultation in their letter.

It is worth noting that on March 30, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the formation of an inquiry commission in response to the letter from the six judges of the Islamabad High Court and had nominated former chief justice Tasadduq Jillani as the head of the commission.