Daily Times

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday seeking Justice Babar Sattar’s recusal from the audio leaks case.

In a petition, the authorities pleaded with Justice Sattar to distance himself from the case. PEMRA maintained in the plea that the chase remains pending despite its chairman appearing before the court multiple times.

A separate bench of the IHC has already decided on another case of a similar nature, PEMRA added. The petition noted that the same bench should decide on this case as well. “To fulfill the demands of justice, Justice Babar should excuse himself from hearing the case,” the petition maintained.

The next hearing of the case is scheduled to be held on April 29.

The petitions being heard by Justice Sattar include those filed by former first lady Bushra Bibi and the son of ex-chief justice Saqib Nisar.

In a similar objection last year, the former coalition government had raised objections over the presence of former CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Muneeb Akhtar on the bench hearing the audio leaks case.

On May 26, 2023, the Supreme Court stayed the proceedings of the commission led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and included Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

A five-judge SC bench, which apart from the three judges, included Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed issued the order while hearing four petitions filed by PTI founder Imran Khan, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Abid Zuberi as well as others against the inquiry commission.