ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: Security of the chief justice of Islamabad High Court and the sessions judges has been enhanced in the wake of a threatening letter from the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TPP), sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

The sources close to the security of the judges said that in the letter, which was received by intelligence agencies and shared with the department concerned, the banned outfit had threatened the chief justices of Islamabad and Lahore high courts along with the sessions judges of the federal capital and Rawalpindi.

The letter, written in Urdu and signed by the unnamed secretary of TTP’s Punjab chapter and titled Ab Adlya ke bari hay (Now it’s the judiciary’s turn), described the two chief justices, sessions judges and the president of the Punjab Bar Association as terrorists.

Five lawyers, including the ex-adviser to a former prime minister, were accused of minting money from their clients along with fees using the names of the judges and the president of the bar, the sources quoted the letter. The letter added: “With your connivance, justice has been put on sale by these lawyers.”

The letter demanded that licences of the lawyers involved in such practices should be cancelled and the CJs should direct their subordinate judges to decide cases on merit.

Warning the addressees of the letter that they would meet the fate of the slain sessions judge of Quetta, Zulfiqar Hussain Naqvi, the terror outfit demanded that action should be taken in the light of the letter within the deadline of October 10. It also warned that courts could also be targeted.

A senior police officer on the condition of anonymity said “security of the judges and lawyers working in Islamabad has been enhanced.” The number of manpower guarding them and the buildings has also been increased and vigilance mounted on the roads leading towards the courts, he added.

He said the step had been taken on the directive of the government.

Another officer said the capital police were responsible for the security of those living or working in Islamabad. However, the information was also shared with the department concerned in Punjab for security arrangements of the judges and the bar president.

The inspector general of Islamabad police, when contacted, expressed his ignorance about the letter. Similarly, the president of Islamabad Bar Association, Javed Akbar Shah, also said he was not aware of such a threat.

Public Relations Officer, IHC, Tariq Chana could not be contacted for comments.

When approached, one of the lawyers - Sardar Asmatullah - said he had indirectly got information about the threat. He said when he contacted a senior police officer in Rawalpindi, he also confirmed the report. The lawyer said he would meet the police officer to discuss the matter on Wednesday.

According to a senior police officer, this practice of sending letters was started by TTP Punjab two to three years back. He clarified that the police never received such letters directly. “These are either received by intelligence agencies or the target person(s) who then share it with the police.”

About their authenticity, the police officer said majority of the letters were genuine, adding their genuineness was established after it was revealed that the target person(s) who received it had worked against the interest of the TTP at some stage.

“However, we have also arrested people who used the name of TTP for vested interest,” he added.

He said investigation into such cases was a lengthy process and it was difficult to trace the source of the letter.—Munawer Azeem