ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday reserved its judgment on a petition of the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) president seeking to form an inquiry commission to probe the alleged audiotape of former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP)Saqib Nisar.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah, hearing the case, asked the petitioner Slahuddin Advocate about the original copy of audiotape. He remarked that no forensic firm in the world could give a clear opinion without availability of the original audiotape.
The court said appeals related to the matter were already pending with IHC. The appellants could also take such ground, it said, adding that one matter couldn’t be heard twice at the same time.
The petitioner said that the questions regarding the audiotape would remain the mind of public even if the accused were acquitted in their appeals. He requested the court to summon journalist Ahmed Noorani for the provision of original audiotape.
He said the reality of the conversation could be known only after investigation of the audiotape.
Representative of Pakistan Bar Council Hassan Raza Pasha Advocate also appeared before the court and said legal fraternity had concerns regarding the allegations on judiciary. The chief justice observed that the audiotape was available only on internet. Should the court order to probe all the allegations which were available only on internet, he asked.
Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan adopted the stance that dual stances were being adopted before the court. A narrative was being built against the whole judiciary on basis of an unauthentic audiotape, he said.
He asked what was the difference between this petition and Rana Shamim’s allegations. All the points raised in the petition were related to the pending appeals. He requested the court not to take action on it if there were a little chance of its impact on the pending appeals. The people were not becoming part of Rana Shamim’s case and pending appeals, he said.
The AGP prayed the court to dismiss the petition. He said if any investigation was required then Pakistan Bar Council should have filed a case itself.
He also gave the reference of a local TV channel’s report which stated that how the audiotape was fabricated and from where its parts were collected.
The statement of petition regarding the non-availability of original audiotape was enough to dismiss it, he said.
After listening arguments from tow sides, the court reserved its judgment.