Audio leaks case: Justice Sattar throws out FIA, PTA, PEMRA’s recusal pleas

The Islamabad High Court Monday fined three government departments Rs500,000 each while dismissing their petitions regarding the bench hearing the audio leaks case.

The court also hinted that contempt of court proceedings may also be initiated against the authorities of the said departments which include Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The separate petitions were filed by the three aforementioned departments as well as the Intelligence Bureau, whose Joint Director General Tariq Mehmood has been summoned by the court on the next hearing of the case.

At least four government departments filed separate applications with the IHC in the audio leaks case to request that the matter be placed before the same bench of the court that has already decided a similar issue.

The applicants said that the petitions of Bushra Bibi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan’s wife, and former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar’s son Najamul Saqib should also be placed before the bench that had decided an identical matter in 2021, requesting recusal of Justice Babar Sattar to avoid any differing decision.

Justice Sattar had been hearing the aforementioned petitions after the matter surfaced in 2023.

In the case being heard by Justice Sattar, the government departments argued in the pleas, that an identical matter was previously decided by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani in 2021. Therefore, they requested the judge’s recusal in the case to avoid a conflicting decision as well as in the interest of justice.

The departments are seeking Justice Sattar’s recusal after a letter by six IHC judges, which also includes him, was written to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), complaining about the interference of intelligence agencies in the court’s decision.

The judges, on March 25, demanded to convene the judicial convention to consider the matter of alleged interference of intelligence operatives in the judicial functions or “intimidation” of judges in a manner that undermined the independence of the judiciary.