In a concerning development, eight judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) have reportedly received suspicious letters, raising security alarms within the judicial community.
According to judicial sources, when the staff of two judges opened the letters, they discovered a mysterious powder inside. The nature of the powder remains unknown, prompting immediate intervention from law enforcement authorities.
A team of experts from the Islamabad Police swiftly arrived at the Islamabad High Court to investigate the matter further. They are currently engaged in examining the contents of the letters and determining the nature of the powder.
The sources said that the letters also contained a threatening sign. The letters were allegedly signed by a woman named Resham, the wife of Waqar Hussain.
Reacting promptly to the incident, the Islamabad High Court summoned the inspector general of Islamabad police and the deputy inspector general (DIG) of security to address the security breach.
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The federal police has initiated a thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain the origins of the letters and identify any potential threats to the safety of the judges. It said forensic experts have been dispatched to the court to analyse the suspicious powder and provide insights into its composition.
The Islamabad DIG (security) has referred the matter to the Counter-Terrorism Department, as per sources. They added that a case will be registered at the CTD police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
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Forensic experts have seized all the letters and items related to the courier, the sources said. The suspicious letters were handed over to the CT.
Sources say that when the court staff opened the letter, they found a powder inside and their eyes started burning. The affected official immediately used a sanitizer and washed his hands, the source added. The court administration ordered the registration of a case.
This development comes in the wake of a letter written by six judges of the IHC to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), alleging interference in judiciary matters, sparking controversy. Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Saman Rafat Imtiaz had signed the letter, which was dated March 25.
It listed seven alleged instances of interference and intimidation by the intelligence officials “to influence the outcome of cases of interest.”
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It also pointed out that two of the three judges sitting on the bench hearing the case to remove PTI Founder Imran Khan for allegedly concealing his daughter expressed their opinion that the case could not be pursued because they felt pressured by “operatives of the ISI” through friends and family.
The letter stated that one of the judges had to be hospitalized due to high blood pressure because the situation had become so stressful.
The six judges stated that the then-CJP and the IHC chief justice were informed about the situation. "I have spoken to the DG-C of ISI and have been assured that no official from ISI will approach the judges of the IHC," the former told the judges.
