Chief Justice Ibrahim Khan of the Peshawar High Court has asserted that a social media campaign was orchestrated to falsely link him to a political party amid a case addressing the Transparency International Report’s characterization of the judiciary as corrupt.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Ibrahim Khan emphasized his lack of political affiliations and stated that decisions are made in accordance with the law.
The Chief Justice highlighted instances where attempts were made to associate him with a political party through social media, including false claims of a political leader being his classmate. He also mentioned a political figure who threatened court decisions and later apologized in a contempt of court case. When a larger bench was formed, the individual sought forgiveness, which was granted by the court.
Questioning a representative from Transparency International during the hearing, Chief Justice Ibrahim Khan challenged the basis for ranking the judiciary as the second most corrupt institution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He pointed out that in the survey, 80 percent of respondents viewed the judiciary as clean, and criticized the report for relying on assumptions rather than facts.
Participating in the hearing through video link, Judicial Assistant Professor Niaz Hill from the University of the UK contested the survey’s methodology, noting that out of over 4,000 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only 1,600 were included, with 54 survey forms rejected. Only 39 respondents out of 1,546 labeled the judiciary as corrupt.
Habib Hashmat, a member of Transparency International, responded that the survey did not address mega-corruption and is based on public opinion. He acknowledged the need to address objections raised by Professor Niaz Hill and requested access to the report for a detailed response.
Chief Justice Ibrahim Khan expressed a commitment to resolving the issue and ensuring a corruption-free judiciary. The court adjourned the hearing until February 19 at 3 pm, instructing the member of the Transparency Board to submit a reply.
