LAHORE: Former president Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said the six judges of the Islamabad High Court — who have accused the country’s intelligence apparatus of interference in judicial affairs — deserved a salute for showing courage.

Addressing a lawyers’ convention, he regretted that personal discussions and life of the judges were recorded and filmed in the country. He said the Constitution holds a great importance for him and even more than that, the law of Allah Almighty.

Mr Alvi emphasised that efforts should be made to establish a welfare state on the basis of Riasat-i-Madina, regretting that people used to mock such an idea. He said Pakistan has to be made the Pakistan of the Quaid-i-Azam. “Islam teaches justice and we should do justice.”

On the occasion, Senat­or-elect Hamid Khan said he saluted the judges of the IHC, assuring that the lawyers of the country stood by the latter.

He said justice cannot be prevailed without a judiciary free from all pressures, adding that judges of all high courts would have to show courage like those of Islamabad. “Are all judges not seeing the oppression?” he questioned.

Hamid Khan said the whole nation was looking towards them (the judges), adding that the chief justice of Pakistan should have asked who was putti­­ng pressure on the jud­ges. He said the chief justice shou­­ld avail the opportunity to stand with the judges.

Sunni Ittehad Council MNA Salman Akram Raja said: “The time has come we have to become a nation.” He cal­led for a transparent investigation into the judges’ letter.

Mr Raja said it was reg­r­ettable to say that the jud­g­­es were working under fear.

The participants of the convention also staged a protest rally at GPO Chowk in support of the judges who wrote the letter to the Supreme Judicial Council members.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2024