Supreme Court Judges Write Letter to Chief Justice and Head of Constitutional Bench Over Delay in Bench Powers Case

Islamabad:Three senior judges of the Supreme Court have written a letter to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and the head of the Constitutional Bench, Justice Aminuddin Khan, expressing concerns over the delay in hearing the Bench Powers case.
According to sources, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Aqeel Abbasi raised their objections in the letter, stating that Justice Aqeel Abbasi was included in the bench on January 16, and had previously heard the case in the Sindh High Court. The letter also highlighted that the case was not scheduled for hearing on January 20.
The letter referred to the meeting of the Practice and Procedure Committee held on January 17, during which Justice Mansoor Ali Shah informed the committee that his stance was already on record. He further stated that he did not need to attend the committee meeting, and that the orders should be implemented.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah also mentioned in the letter that the committee could have reinstated the previous bench and scheduled the hearing for January 20, but the failure to do so was tantamount to disobedience of judicial orders. The letter concluded by labeling this delay as contempt of court.
This letter highlights increasing tensions within the Supreme Court regarding bench powers and its formation, signaling a potential legal debate on the matter.