PESHAWAR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has called on the Supreme Court to take notice of the suspension of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Jahangiri, terming the move “unconstitutional and damaging for judicial independence.”
Speaking to the media at Peshawar High Court, Barrister Gohar said personal differences among judges, which were once confined to chambers and letters, have now spilled into open confrontations in courtrooms. “For us, every door has been shut. We have reached a dead end, and the only option is to seek justice from the courts. Any extra-constitutional step is unacceptable,” he remarked.
He recalled that during former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s tenure, the Supreme Court had set a precedent that no judge could be barred from judicial work, as doing so was equivalent to dismissal.
“Suspending a judge is against the Constitution. Such actions erode public confidence in the judiciary, which is already fragile,” he warned.
Barrister Gohar criticized the growing perception that the judiciary is no longer independent. “If judges are fighting among themselves, how can the public rely on courts for justice?” he questioned, urging the Chief Justice to ensure that PTI’s pending cases are heard according to law.
The PTI chief also accused lower courts of issuing “unjust” verdicts against his party’s lawmakers, claiming that members collectively received sentences totaling over 100 years. “If the Supreme Court had kept a closer watch, such decisions would not have been possible,” he said.
He stressed that denying access to PTI’s founding chairman and his wife was fueling public despair. “When the country’s most popular leader is jailed, it spreads hopelessness, and hopelessness breeds resentment. Resentment threatens governments, damages the economy, and weakens the state,” he added.
Announcing a party rally in Peshawar on September 27, Barrister Gohar said all arrangements would be the responsibility of the provincial government. “People from across the country will gather to raise their voice peacefully for their rights,” he declared.
