Pakistan SC stops proceedings of judicial commission on audio leaks

The Pakistan Supreme Court has stopped proceedings of the judicial commission on audio leaks and suspended the notification issued by the federal government, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.

ARY News is a Pakistani news channel.

The Pakistan Supreme Court (SC) issued its ruling on the petitions against the judicial commission on audio leaks constituted by the federal government.

The bench, headed by CJP Bandial and comprising Justice Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed, heard the petitions.

The top court in its ruling stopped the proceedings of the audio leak commission and issued notices to the parties.

The top court will resume the hearing of the petitions on May 31, the written verdict read. The notification regarding the audio leak commission issued on May 19 was also suspended by the SC.

As per the order, the constitution of the inquiry commission was challenged in four petitions filed in the Supreme Court. During the hearing, the attorney general raised objections to the bench's constitution in the initial arguments.

The attorney general also raised objections to the inclusion of the chief justice in the bench. The order read that it is a constitutional requirement to seek permission from the chief justice prior to acquiring the services of a judge, according to ARY News.

It further stated that two judges included in the inquiry commission were chief justices of high courts.

The federal government constitution the commission without seeking permission from the chief justice and violated the constitutional principle, whereas, the constitution process was also suspicious.