ISLAMABAD   -   The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday dismissed the applications filed by the Pakistan Electronic Me­dia Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Pakistan Telecommu­nication Authority (PTA) seeking re­cusal of its judge Justice Babar Sattar from a case related to audio leaks.

Besides dismissing the pleas, the IHC bench also imposed a Rs500,000 fine on each of them. He also hinted at initiating contempt proceedings against the bodies. A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Babar Sat­tar rejected the applications while conducting hearing of the petitions of former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar’s son Mian Najam-us-Saqib and former prime minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra regarding their audio conversation leaks.

In a similar application filed by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Justice Sat­tar summoned its joint director of the IB on the next date of hearing. Last week, PEMRA, PTA, FIA and the In­telligence Bureau had filed separate petitions in the audio leaks case re­questing that the matter be placed before the same bench of the court that has already decided a similar is­sue and pleaded the recusal of Justice Babar Sattar. Attorney General for Pa­kistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan appeared before the court while se­nior counsel Aitzaz Ahsan was also present for the court’s legal assis­tance. During the hearing, Addition­al Attorney General (AAG) Munawar Iqbal Duggal informed the court that the FIA had sought the reformation of the bench as six IHC judges, includ­ing Justice Babar Sattar, had written a letter alleging intelligence agencies’ meddling in judicial affairs.

Justice Sattar asked that what con­nection does an ISI matter have with the FIA and how is this letter relat­ed to the FIA? The judge observed that the judges had expressed their support for the claims made by IHC Justice (retd) Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and for a probe into them. Mention­ing one of the petitions stated that the judges had “complained” about intelligence agencies, the judge asked that how is this a complaint? Justice (retd) Shaukat Siddiqui had made allegations and they are sup­porting them.