Will neither be pressurised nor favour anyone: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Saturday said that he will neither be pressurised nor favour anyone.

Justice Isa said this while responding to the letter recently sent by former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supremo Imran Khan.

“Let all be assured that Justice Qazi Farz Isa, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, is fully cognizant of his constitutional duties and will neither be pressurised nor favour anyone, and by the Grace of the Almighty shall continue to fulfil his duties and abide by the path of his office,” says a statement issued here by Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmed, Secretary to Chief Justice of Pakistan.

On November 30, 2023, Imran Khan had written a letter demanding the CJP to ensure a level-playing field for his party ahead of the much-awaited polls slated to take place on February 8 next year.

Imran had urged the top judge to exercise the authority bestowed to him by the Constitution of Pakistan in directing the federal, and provincial governments and Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure that the PTI, like all other political parties, was allowed to hold political meetings and gatherings without “discrimination”. On Saturday, the CJP’s secretary stated that an undated 7-page application with 77 pages was received in the Office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan on 4 December, 2023 at 12.25 pm. It further stated that the document comprised a typed application, tabulated tables and photocopies, altogether 84 pages, bound in a yellow paper-book, the kind used for filings in the Supreme Court, the identity and contact details of the advocate who prepared the document did not appear in the document. The statement added that as per the envelope, the document was couriered by Intizar Hussain Panjutha. The statement further stated that misgivings also arise when the political party on whose behalf the document has ostensibly been sent is well represented by advocates. Only recently, its advocates conducted two significant cases in the Supreme Court, on the military courts and on the elections. Surprisingly, before recessing the document in a sealed envelope, it had already been distributed to the media, the statement read.