ISLAMABAD: The newly formed single-judge bench at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) hearing the Dr. Aafia Siddiqui case was dissolved on Monday after Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas referred the matter to the Chief Justice for the appointment of a larger bench.
During the proceedings, Justice Minhas considered a petition filed by Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui concerning her sister’s health and repatriation. The lawyer representing Dr. Fowzia appeared before the court, but Justice Minhas decided to forward the case to the Chief Justice, citing the need for a larger bench to hear the matter.
This case had recently been transferred from Justice Ejaz Ishaq Khan’s court to Justice Minhas following a reshuffle in the judge roster announced by the IHC registrar’s office. Previously, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan had been presiding over the case and had issued contempt notices to the Prime Minister and other cabinet members during a previous hearing.
The case concerns Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui’s petition regarding her sister, who remains incarcerated in the United States. Justice Ijaz Ishaq Khan had expressed frustration over the federal government’s failure to provide a report on its refusal to assist Dr. Aafia’s case in U.S. courts, despite a court order issued in June.
Commenting on the issue, Justice Ijaz Ishaq threatened to summon the entire cabinet and initiate contempt proceedings against all cabinet members, including the Prime Minister, if the government failed to submit the required report. The court granted additional time for the government to comply, warning of serious legal repercussions for further delayed
