In a significant development regarding the petition for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s release, the Islamabad High Court has constituted a larger bench to hear a contempt of court case filed against the Prime Minister and members of the federal cabinet for allegedly defying court orders. The move signals a new phase in the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the high-profile case.
According to the cause list, the case has been fixed for hearing on September 10. The newly formed four-member bench will be headed by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, with Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, Justice Azam Khan, and Justice Raja Inam Ameen Minhas also included in the panel. The decision marks an important step forward in addressing the legal complexities of the matter, which continues to draw public attention.
It is worth noting that on September 1, Justice Inam Ameen Minhas had referred the case to the Chief Justice for the formation of a larger bench. Previously, the matter was being heard by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, who had issued contempt of court notices to the Prime Minister and cabinet members during the last hearing.
However, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan was later assigned to the special division bench dealing with tax-related cases. Following that reassignment, all single-bench cases under his docket were transferred, including the Dr. Aafia Siddiqui matter, which will now proceed before the larger bench.
