A contempt of court notice issued to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and members of the federal cabinet in connection with the Dr Aafia Siddiqui case has been temporarily suspended due to internal procedural complications at the Islamabad High Court.

Originally, the court had demanded that the Prime Minister and cabinet explain their failure to submit a report on the case within a two-week period. However, the High Court’s Registrar’s Office has not officially dispatched the contempt notices. The reason? The case had not been formally listed for hearing on July 21, even though a judicial order was issued on that date.

According to sources within the Registrar’s Office, the hearing note from Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan was received on July 16, after the weekly court schedule had already been finalized. A revised cause list—required to reflect the addition of the case—was not officially approved, and therefore, no formal notices could be sent out.

Despite the scheduling issues, Justice Sardar Ejaz issued written show-cause notices on July 21, reprimanding the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers for their non-compliance. He announced that the matter would now be heard on the first working day after the court resumes from its summer recess.

The judge did not hold back in criticizing the court’s administrative handling of the case. He condemned what he described as repeated misuse of administrative authority to obstruct judicial proceedings. Justice Ejaz emphasized that such interference undermines judicial independence and vowed to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary using his full judicial powers.

He also revealed that the case—filed by Dr Fauzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui—was deliberately scheduled for July 21. However, the hearing was blocked due to delays in updating the cause list. A request sent by the judge to the Chief Justice for an exception to hear the case during the court’s recess was reportedly left unsigned.

“Once again, administrative influence has overruled judicial independence,” Justice Ejaz stated in his remarks. He acknowledged that he was technically on leave starting July 21 but made the decision to hear the case regardless, to ensure justice would not be delayed.

“I will not allow justice to be compromised,” the judge concluded. “If needed, I will use every judicial tool available to uphold the dignity of this court.”

The case surrounding Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist imprisoned in the United States, continues to provoke strong public interest and legal scrutiny. This latest courtroom development underscores the tensions between judicial independence and administrative control within Pakistan’s legal system.