ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has instructed the attorney general of Pakistan to present his reply in the audio leaks case within a period of four weeks.
Justice Babar Sattar presided over the hearing of a petition filed by the son of former chief justice Saqib Nisar regarding his summoning before the special committee investigating the alleged audio tapes involving judges and politicians.
During the proceedings, the court directed Mansoor Usman Awan to submit his reply within four weeks and also ordered him to provide copies of the reply to all parties involved.
The court extended the injunction against summoning the former chief justice’s son before the special committee.
On May 31, the IHC suspended the summons issued to Najam Saqib, Nisar’s son, by the Parliamentary Committee established to investigate the alleged audio leaks, and set a deadline of June 19 for the government to respond to the case.
The court had asked the government to disclose the individuals responsible for recording the audio conversations.
In his petition, Saqib had requested the court to halt the proceedings of the parliamentary panel led by Aslam Bhootani, claiming that the committee was formed in violation of National Assembly rules.
He also argued that although he was not summoned by the committee, the committee’s secretary had still asked him to appear before the panel.
During the recent hearing, Awan, court advisor Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, and the petitioner’s lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa appeared before the court.
The court has appointed Ahsan, Mian Raza Rabbani, Makhdoom Ali Khan, and Barrister Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha as amici curiae (friends of the court).
The attorney general informed the court that the matter was under judicial consideration in the Supreme Court and requested the IHC to wait for the apex court’s decision on the issues discussed.
Accordingly, the court adjourned the case until August 16.
