ISLAMABAD: Former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, has stepped down from leading the one-man commission formed by the government to investigate allegations of executive interference in judicial matters.
His decision came moments after the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of a letter written by Islamabad High Court judges regarding the matter.
In his recusal, Justice (retd) Jillani highlighted the potential conflict of interest, noting that since the letter was addressed to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the Chief Justice, it would be inappropriate for him to lead the investigation.
He emphasized that the issues raised in the letter may fall under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Judicial Council or the Supreme Court itself.
Justice (retd) Jillani also pointed out that the terms of reference for the inquiry did not align with the subject matter outlined in the judges’ letter. He suggested that the Chief Justice of Pakistan could address and resolve the issues raised at the institutional level.
The commission was formed after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa discussed the judges’ letter. The government subsequently approved the formation of the commission, appointing Justice (retired) Jillani as its head.
However, with Justice (retd) Jillani’s recusal and the Supreme Court’s intervention, the fate of the commission remains uncertain. The developments underscore the complexity of the situation and raise questions about the future course of action regarding the allegations of judicial interference.
