The Islamabad High Court has directed the attorney general of Pakistan to submit his reply in the audio leaks case in four weeks. IHC’s Justice Babar Sattar on Monday heard the petition filed by former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar’s son against his summoning before the special committee probing the purported audio tapes involving judges and politicians. During the hearing, the court directed Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan to submit the reply within four weeks and also asked him to provide copies of his reply to the parties as well.

The court extended its injunction against summoning the son of the former chief justice before the special committee. On May 31, the IHC suspended the summons issued to Najam Saqib, son of former CJP Saqib Nisar, by the Parliamentary Committee set up to probe the purported audio leaks and sought a reply from the government in the case by June 19. The court asked the government to inform it about the elements behind recording audios of conversations.

In his petition, Najam Saqib had requested the court to stop the proceedings of the parliamentary panel headed by Aslam Bhootani as the body was formed in violation of the National Assembly rules. He also claimed that the committee did not summon him but the secretary of the committee still asked him to appear before the panel. During today’s hearing, AGP Awan, court’s advisor Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and petitioner’s lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa appeared before the court.

The court has appointed Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Mian Raza Rabbani, Makhdoom Ali Khan and Barrister Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha as amici curiae. The AGP told the court that the matter was sub judice in the Supreme Court and requested the court to wait for the decision on the questions discussed in the apex court. With this, the court adjourned the case till August 16.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP