ISLAMBAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) denounced a “vicious” social media campaign against Justice Babar Sattar on Sunday, alleging he holds US citizenship and has business ties to a private school in the country.
According to the IHC, this campaign, deemed “false, malicious, and contemptuous,” involved the sharing of Sattar’s private information, including travel documents for him, his wife, and children, on various social media platforms. Additionally, details from his tax returns regarding his property holdings were shared alongside baseless accusations.
In an official statement, the IHC’s public relations officer clarified that Justice Babar Sattar has only ever held Pakistani nationality.
Sattar pursued legal studies at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and furthered his education at Harvard Law School. While he worked as a lawyer at a New York law firm and obtained a Permanent Resident Card (green card) due to his recognized expertise, he returned to Pakistan in 2005 and has lived and worked there since.
Furthermore, it was stated that Sattar’s wife and children hold dual citizenship of Pakistan and the US, residing in the US until 2021 when they returned to Pakistan following Sattar’s appointment to the IHC.
Regarding property ownership, the statement clarified that all properties held by Justice Sattar, both in the US and Pakistan, were acquired before his tenure as a judge and were duly declared in his tax returns. No properties have been acquired since he became a judge.
The statement also addressed Sattar’s prior disclosure to the IHC chief justice about his Pakistani nationality and green card status. Additionally, it clarified that Sattar’s involvement with a school in Rawalpindi was limited to his law firm’s provision of legal advice for which they received a retainer fee.
Importantly, it was emphasized that Justice Sattar has no involvement in managing any business entity and has not presided over any case involving his family members’ interests during his tenure as a judge.
The IHC emphasized its commitment to upholding the code of conduct for judges and asserted its accountability to the people of Pakistan.
