PM Shehbaz Sharif vows to probe threat letters received by judges

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday reiterated that the government would hold an investigation into the matter of receiving of threat letters containing suspicious powder by several judges including Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Presiding a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad, Shehbaz said the issue should not be mixed with politics.

The prime minister said this in context to receiving of threatening letters by multiple judges including the ones serving in the Supreme Court, Islamabad High Court and Lahore High Court.

Among those who received such letters at SC on Wednesday include CJP Isa, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Aminuddin Khan, Geo News reported citing sources.

Before that, eight judges of the IHC including its Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had received "suspected anthrax-laced letters" on Monday, while four LHC judges including Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan, Justice Alia Neelum and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh were sent the letters on Wednesday.

The issue of threat letters arose a day after the SC took suo motu notice over allegations of the IHC’s chief justice and other judges against spy agencies.

Commenting on the government's bid to tackle economic challenges faced by the country, the prime minister said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would disburse the remaining last tranche, amounting to $1.1 billion, of its $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement with Islamabad this month.

However, PM Shehbaz added, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb would engage with the Washington-based lender for another loan.

"The conditions for the IMF program will not be easy," he noted.

Addressing the issue of privatisation, the PM reassured full implementation of the privatisation schedule of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Meanwhile, a Turkish company's delegation would also visit Pakistan over the issue of outsourcing of country's airports, he added.

Furthermore, the premier said that the Centre would coordinate with the provincial governments to ensure fool-proof security of Chinese nationals in the country.

"Our focus is on ensuring infallible security for the Chinese," Shehbaz said while referring to the deadly suicide attack in Shangla's Besham city which resulted in the death of six people including five Chinese engineers.