LAHORE: Justice Ali Baqar Najafi of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has become the latest recipient of a threatening letter, as per sources revealed to a Private TV channel on Friday. The letter has been forwarded to the counter-terrorism department (CTD) for investigation.
The CTD has initiated an inquiry into the matter and has lodged two first information reports (FIRs) against unknown individuals.
Justice Najafi marks the sixth judge to have received such a letter, following at least five other LHC judges, sparking concerns within the judiciary. Moreover, four judges from the Supreme Court and eight from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), including its chief justice, have also reported receiving similar threats.
These letters surfaced shortly after the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of allegations made by six IHC judges against intelligence agencies.
Forensic examination of the powder discovered in the mysterious letters, which contained arsenic mixed with white powder, has been received by the CTD. It has been disclosed that the powder contains 10% arsenic, posing a significant health risk and potential harm to the nervous system if inhaled in higher concentrations.
Video footage from CCTV cameras near the letterboxes at the sub-divisional post office in Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, has been obtained by investigators. Suspects in the footage are being identified with the assistance of Nadra.
As demands for an investigation escalate, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured that the government will diligently investigate the matter of threatening letters containing suspicious powder received by judges. He emphasized the need to approach the issue responsibly and free from political bias during an address to the federal cabinet.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
