ISLAMABAD; A significant development has surfaced in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) just ahead of the scheduled full court meeting, after a four-page letter by Justice Babar Sattar addressed to Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar created ripples within judicial circles.
According to sources, copies of the letter have also been shared with all judges of the IHC and the registrar office, raising a series of questions on constitutional duties, transparency, and judicial independence.
Justice Sattar, in his detailed letter, questioned whether judges of the IHC truly believe they are fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities and whether citizens still consider the judiciary as a true guardian of their fundamental rights.
The letter also highlighted concerns about the independence of the district judiciary, alleging that efforts to strengthen it have been undermined. Justice Sattar pointed out a lack of transparency in the preparation of rosters and fixing of cases, stressing that senior judges are being ignored while additional and transferred judges are being given preference.
He wrote that while judges routinely remind government officers that they are not kings but public officials, the same principle should apply to the judiciary itself, including the Chief Justice. He also expressed alarm that in some instances, the Chief Justice’s office had refused to issue cause lists, which he said was damaging the independence of the judiciary.
Justice Sattar claimed that even his own single bench jurisdiction was curtailed through the issuance of rosters, and senior judges were sidelined from the administrative committee in violation of rules, while additional and transferred judges were included.
He further criticized the requirement of obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Chief Justice for judges intending to travel abroad, likening it to placing judges on the Exit Control List (ECL).
Concluding his letter, Justice Sattar wrote that while it takes decades to build institutions, it takes only moments to destroy them, urging immediate introspection and reform within the judiciary.
