Bribery allegations at Pakistan high court spark debate on court politics

A senior judge has accused lower staff at the Islamabad High Court of demanding bribes from litigants and lawyers, sparking debate over judicial integrity and internal court dynamics.

High court Judge Babar Sattar wrote a scathing letter to the chief justice and the registrar, alleging that the staff in question had joined the court alongside newly appointed judges.

“It has been brought to my attention that the pernicious practice of court staff chasing after counsels and litigating parties—who have been granted relief by the court—to demand gratuity and handouts has begun raising its ugly head in the Islamabad High Court recently,” he wrote in the letter, a copy of which was seen by Nukta.

The development came after three new judges from other provinces were transferred to the Islamabad High Court last month.

Acting on the development, Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar asked the registrar to investigate the allegations and submit a report in three days.

What did the letter say?

Sattar, who was a prominent columnist before joining the judiciary, urged the registrar to review CCTV footage from recent weeks to identify any staff engaging in such practices.

“If the reports of such demands stand verified, strict action must be taken against the staff involved,” he added.

He emphasized that court staff are full-time employees who receive appropriate compensation for their services.

Demanding such payments, he noted, “qualifies as seeking rents for the dispensation of justice.”

Sattar also pointed out the irony of notices displayed across the court premises explicitly prohibiting such payments, while “right under the shadow of such signboards, gratuity is demanded, paid, and received.”

He warned that allowing such practices to continue would foster a culture of corruption and bribery within the court.

Court politics or judicial integrity

Wajid Gillani, president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, appeared indifferent to the complaints.

“No one has asked me for money, so I don't know. It is not a big issue,” he told Nukta.

Dismissing the allegations, he added: “Differences between judges are understandable, but they should not lead to anarchy.”

However, others say bribery within the Islamabad High Court is a growing problem.

“The complaints are pouring in. This culture is new to the Islamabad High Court. It wasn’t like this before,” said Riyasat Ali Azad, former president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association.

Supporting Sattar’s concerns, he added: “Sometimes, staff even go to lawyers' chambers and demand ‘sweet favors.’”

Kazi Adil, a member of the Islamabad Bar Council, echoed this view.

“I support the letter. This is a recurring problem, even though high court staff are well-paid. How can they still ask for such favors?” he told Nukta.

“This is not about differences between judges but about respect for institutions,” he concluded.