In a significant move to protect the independence of the judiciary, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to issue strict instructions to all civil and military agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), prohibiting them from contacting or approaching any judge or member of their staff.

The directive came in response to a complaint filed by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge in Sargodha, who alleged harassment after refusing to meet officials from an intelligence agency. Justice Shahid Karim, who presided over the case, emphasized the importance of proceeding on issues that regularly come before the court and issuing directions to safeguard the judiciary’s independence.

The written order, dated June 27, explicitly states that the PMO must issue instructions to all relevant agencies, including the IB and ISI, to refrain from contacting or approaching any judge, whether from the superior or subordinate judiciary, or any member of their staff in the future. Similar directives were also issued to the Punjab police, prohibiting them from directly contacting judges regarding the merits of any pending judicial proceedings.

The court further directed ATC judges across Punjab to install call-recording applications on their mobile phones and record all calls that raise concerns about attempts to influence judicial proceedings. Additionally, the judges were instructed to expeditiously decide cases related to the May 9, 2023, incident as a matter of priority.

The complaint filed by the Sargodha ATC judge detailed several incidents of harassment targeting his family, including damages to the gas meter installed outside his official residence in Bahawalpur and an inflated electricity bill that appeared to be fake. The judge also reported that his relatives were “teased” by unknown individuals about his personal information.

Justice Karim emphasized that the Prime Minister is responsible and answerable for the actions of intelligence agencies, as they fall under his command. The court directed the Sargodha ATC judge and court staff to cooperate in the investigation, with all proceedings being video recorded and the record maintained by the police and submitted to the LHC through the registrar.

This landmark decision by the LHC underscores the judiciary’s commitment to safeguarding its independence and ensuring that intelligence agencies and law enforcement authorities respect the sanctity of the judicial process. The directive to the PMO to issue clear instructions to all relevant agencies sends a strong message about the court’s determination to protect judges from undue influence or harassment.