In an important development in the audio leaks case, the Islamabad High Court has dismissed the objection petitions filed against Justice Babar Sattar, terming them as "malicious" and motivated by "bad faith".
The court has also issued preliminary contempt notices to the chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Furthermore, preliminary notices for contempt of court have been issued to chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). This move signals the court's determination to hold accountable those who may have violated legal standards or obstructed justice in the case.
The court imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 on the petitioners for filing "frivolous" applications, which were aimed at pressurizing the judge and stopping the hearing of the case. The court observed that all four organizations - IB, FIA, PTA, and PEMRA - had jointly filed applications under a single scheme to influence the proceedings.
Additionally, an order has been issued for the officer who allowed the court to file the criminal petition to pay out of pocket, emphasizing the importance of diligence and accountability in legal proceedings.
In a 40-page order, Justice Babar Sattar wrote that the objection pleas to stop the hearing were based on malice and were an attempt to undermine the judiciary's independence.
The court emphasized that it is committed to giving a full opportunity to all parties in the case related to phone tapping of citizens, which has exposed the federal government’s failure to protect citizens’ constitutional fundamental rights.
