Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, in a letter written to Ministry of Interior, stressed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif being head of a political party as well chief executive of government is in a position to directly or indirectly exert influence on the JIT.
Former CJP warned that under the circumstances and looking at previous record of the prime minister and his companions’ attitude towards the apex court the possibility of a direct, full-fledged attack like one back in 1997 cannot be ruled out. ‘The culprits belonging to the political party of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif were found guilty, later on for the offence of contempt of court (200 SCMR 1969) Shahid Orakzai VS Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group) and 8 others, former CJ said in his letter.
In his letter, he has sought attention of Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan and Supreme Court registrar to ensure foolproof security of the Supreme Court, its judges, their families as well as members of JIT and their families and residences. ‘It is being their right to protection of life as provided under Article 9 of the Constitution. In addition to it, all executive authorities are also bound to act in aid of Supreme Court under Article 190 of the Constitution’.
The letter, copy available with Pakistan Today, recounts that during the hearing of Panama Case by the Supreme Court and when implementation bench and JIT are set to complete process of final determination, based on material being collected, the supporters of prime minister, including ministers, members of National Assembly as well as senators have left no stone unturned to use threatening and ferocious statements to undermine the institution of judiciary in as much as one of their leaders alleged that SC has pointed guns at the Sharif family.
‘Similarly one of them [PML-N leaders] has equated JIT with a ‘Butcher Shop, whereas one of their senators, namely Nehal Hashmi crossed all limits on advancing life threats to the honourable judges as well as their children in his speech being televised widely on media,’ alleged former CJ in his letter.