ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the summoning notice issued to Najam Saqib- son of former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar- by the special committee formed by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to probe audio clips allegedly featuring his voice.
The court asked the federal government to inform it about the elements responsible for recording audios. The court also stopped the special committee from proceeding against Najam Saqib.
A single-judge bench of the IHC passed these orders while hearing a petition filed by Najam Saqib against the special committee to probe audio clips allegedly featuring his voice.
The court also removed the Registrar’s Office’s objections to the application. The court directed the federal government to apprise it by June 19 on the origins of the audios.
During the hearing, Justice Babar Sattar wondered under what authority the special committee of the National Assembly took notice of the matter. Senior advocate Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, appeared for Najam Saqib.
Latif Khosa stated that he only challenged in the plea that the National Assembly Speaker as well as the National Assembly do not have the authority to look into private matters. He said the plea does not challenge the matter which is pending in the Supreme Court for adjudication.
He contended that the audio leak is an alleged conversation between two private individuals that Parliament has no right to examine.
Former CJP’s son had filed the petition on Tuesday requesting the IHC to suspend the special committee’s proceedings and stop it from taking any punitive action.
Najam Saqib contended in his plea that the alleged audio breached his privacy and it was illegal surveillance. He sought declaration of the court that recording a private person’s personal conversation was a violation of basic human rights.
On May 3, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf constituted a special committee to investigate Najam Saqib’s alleged audio.
In the audio, Najam Saqib can be heard selling a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket to a candidate of the Punjab Assembly, claiming that his father (Saqib Nisar) had to work hard to get the ticket sanctioned.
