Ishaq, the murder suspect, was ordered to be arrested and turned over to jail officials after the Supreme Court denied his request for pre-arrest bail on Friday.
The case was heard by a three-member bench presided over by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail. The other two members of the bench were Justices Malik Shahzad and Athar Minallah.
The justices made incisive observations about the nation’s political atmosphere in a case that has “lingered” in the courts since 2017. “All institutions appear more focused on targeting opponents,” Justice Minallah said, bemoaning the state’s “preoccupation with political rivalries.”
Three prior prime ministers had been slain, but justice had not been served in these cases, according to Justice Mandokhail. “Even in that case, no,” he said, referring to the murder of a high-ranking judge in Balochistan.