Case closed but troubles not over for Justice Isa

ISLAMABAD: Justice Qazi Faez Isa may face more legal challenges in the coming months as coordinated efforts are still being made to dislodge him from his position, informed sources in the legal community told The News.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa recently won a case which set aside the court’s earlier directive to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to conduct an inquiry into three UK properties in the name of his wife and children.

A 10-member review bench of the Supreme Court handed a majority verdict in favor of Justice Isa on April 26. Then, on May 26, the SC registrar returned a ‘curative review petition’ filed by the LawMinistry against the apex court’s judgement on the review petitions in the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case.

The legality of this curative review petition was questionable, and SC registrar returned the application with the objection that a review could not be conducted twice into one case. However, sources close to these developments say that certain powerful quarters are determined to pursue their plans against Justice Isa and have been pressuring a key constitutional figure to play a proactive role in this regard. Informed sources told The News that three high-profile officials have approached him, but in vain. This constitutional figure, sources say, is resisting because he does not wish to be defamed at the peak stage of his career.

Sources suggest that under a new plan, references will be filed with the Supreme Judicial Council by people from various walks of life and from different parts of the country. They will demand action in light of the FBR report on the London properties. Once these applications are submitted, the petitioners are likely to demand the forum process their applications immediately. Sources speculate that a final decision in this regard may be taken after February next year. Efforts could also be made to penetrate bar councils in order to diffuse the likely pressure in favor of Justice Isa during this period.

However, sources believe that for this entire plan to succeed, consent of a key player is required which the planners have failed to secure so far. Justice Isa is in line to become the chief justice on September 18, 2023, for 13 months.

Informed sources close to powerful quarters told The News that those who are pursuing these plans believe that the government's election plan hinges on the fate of Justice Isa. Prime Minister Imran Khan reportedly told a visitor recently that he could easily muster a two-thirds majority if he was not obstructed by the judiciary.