ISLAMABAD: Justice (retd) Shahid Jameel Khan, who recently resigned from the Lahore High Court (LHC), has alleged that former LHC chief justice Ameer Bhatti was using his position to politically benefit his son-in-law, who is associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The decline of the judiciary in Punjab began during the tenure of Justice Sardar Shamim as LHC chief justice, who was close to the PML-N and was readjusted after retirement, he remarked in an interview on a social media platform. Justice Aalia Neelum, who has been appointed as chief justice of the high court, is a good judge and cannot be approached by anyone, he said.
Justice (retd) Shahid Jameel Khan made these statements in his first interview after his resignation in February this year on a social media programme “Talk Shock” with host Azaz Syed.
He alleged that the son-in-law of former chief justice Ameer Bhatti once called him and invited him to his home, saying that he (the son-in-law) had become a provincial minister and had also been allotted a government house.
Justice (retd) Khan said he declined the invitation, stating that as he (the former CJ’s son-in-law) was a political party’s minister and part of the government, he would not attend the event. However, he revealed that although he did not attend the event, about 25 of his fellow judges did.
He further disclosed that during and after the tenure of chief justice Ameer Bhatti, cases related to the establishment and intelligence agencies were often given to a particular judge, and it was generally perceived that he provided them relief. He said former chief justice Ameer Bhatti was an approachable judge and met everyone.
Justice (retd) Khan said former chief justice Ameer Bhatti met PTI leader Shehzad Akbar and he told him that good news was not being broadcast. He said he used to express these concerns openly to the then chief justice’s face at that time as well. He was of the view that judicial interference occurs when you allow it.
He recounted an incident when an inspector from a secret agency came for an inquiry into his appointment as a judge and requested a meeting with his officer, to which he replied that he would meet after his confirmation.
Justice (retd) Khan emphasised that he was never involved in any actions unbecoming of a judge. He praised the future chief justice, Mansoor Ali Shah, and Supreme Court judges Shahzad Gheba and Ayesha Malik for their integrity.
In response to a question, he mentioned that former army chief General Bajwa’s relative, Sabir Mithu, whom he knew from before, tried to influence him in a sugar case after he became a judge, even attempting to contact his brother and mother.
Justice (retd) Khan revealed that Sabir Mithu had informed him before General Bajwa’s appointment that he (Bajwa) would succeed General Raheel because it had already been decided. When Sabir Mithu tried to influence him, their acquaintance ended.
He stressed that a judge should not be approachable in such a manner. In the “Talk Shock” show on YouTube, the former judge detailed various incidents involving different chief justices and fellow judges, shedding light on some judges’ characters.
In the interview, he also discussed the reasons for his resignation as a judge and addressed a video in which Muhammad Khan Bhatti mentioned his name.
Before this interview was broadcast, efforts were made to contact the individuals mentioned in the interview to get their comments. In this regard, former chief justice Ameer Bhatti, former chief justice Sardar Shamim, and ex-CJ Bhatti’s son-in-law Ali Afzal Sahi were contacted. They were offered the opportunity to provide their stance regarding the interview and were also invited for an interview to have their views broadcast ad verbatim. However, none of them accepted the invitation.