In a significant development, Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed a plea filed by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Friday. The plea sought the withdrawal of a petition that had previously requested the judge’s recusal from a case related to audio leaks.
During the hearing, it was revealed that the IB’s plea seeking the judge’s recusal had been dismissed by the court in the previous hearing on April 29. The case pertains to petitions filed by individuals, including Bushra Bibi, the spouse of ex-premier Imran Khan, and Najam Saqib, the son of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, concerning alleged audio leaks.
Last week, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had urged Justice Sattar to recuse himself from the case, arguing that another bench that had previously dealt with a similar matter should proceed with the petitions at hand.
Similar petitions had been filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and the IB. In the previous hearing, Justice Sattar imposed fines on the FIA, PTA, and Pemra for their pleas seeking his recusal and hinted at initiating contempt proceedings against them.
During today’s hearing, Justice Sattar summoned IB joint director Tariq Mehmood to inquire about the approval process for filing the objection petition. A day prior, the IB filed a miscellaneous application seeking the withdrawal of its objection plea.
At the hearing, the Assistant Attorney General (AAG) appeared on behalf of the IB and informed the court of the IB’s intention to withdraw its objection plea. Justice Sattar, however, dismissed the IB’s fresh application seeking withdrawal, stating that the plea had already been dismissed in the previous hearing.
The case revolves around allegations of audio leaks involving prominent personalities, including Bushra Bibi and Najam Saqib. The IHC had previously directed intelligence agencies and regulatory bodies to trace the source of the leaks and refrain from broadcasting unauthorized conversations.
The government, through the Defence Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office, denied involvement in recording and leaking telephone conversations. The case has seen multiple petitions, inquiries, and directives from the IHC, highlighting the complexities surrounding the issue of audio leaks and the legal proceedings involved.