Former chief justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani will lead the inquiry commission on the judges’ letter, the federal cabinet has decided.

The federal cabinet finally convened on Saturday after the postponement of three meetings to take up the issue of alleged meddling by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs, as claimed by six judges who wrote a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan earlier this month.

Jilani served as the 21st Chief Justice of Pakistan from 2013 to 2014. He previously served as a Justice of the Supreme Court from 2004, after being nominated Justice of the Lahore High Court by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1994.

The cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was held in Lahore with several ministers participating via video link.

The cabinet was to approve the constitution of a commission of inquiry to probe the allegations levelled by judges of Islamabad High Court.

The meeting was also set to discuss the terms of reference or TORs of the commission. CJP Qazi Faez Isa has already expressed support for the one-member commission led by a former judge.

The cabinet meeting was to decide on some other key issues as well.

The midterm budget report for the year 2023–24 will be reviewed, and a statement by federal, provincial, and district governments will be presented, as per the five-point agenda. 

The meeting will ensure the review of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) by signing a partnership with Romania in various fields.

The prime minister will assign goals to ministries and divisions.