Citing public expense, CJP declines farewell reception

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has declined a farewell reception upon his retirement, saying that he cannot accept such an event funded by public money.

As per the tradition of the Supreme Court, the registrar’s office sent a note to the chief justice regarding the reception planned for his retirement on October 25. However, the chief justice responded to the note, expressing his refusal to have a reception at public expense, which would cost approximately Rs2 million. He emphasised that such an event in his honour was unnecessary.

This will mark the first instance in the Supreme Court’s history where no farewell reception is held for a retiring judge of the apex court.

Meanwhile, an invitation was also sent to the Attorney General’s Office for the full court reference scheduled for October 25. The event will take place at 10:30am in courtroom No. 1, where Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa will officially step down, paving the way for Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, the next senior most judge, to take over country’s top judicial office.

Although the government has not yet notified Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah as the next chief justice of Pakistan, the apex court registrar Jazeela Aslam issued a letter on Friday about the full court reference.

The registrar has intimated Shahzad Shaukat, President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), that on the retirement of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, a full court reference had been scheduled in the Court Room No I on Friday, October 25 at 10:30am.

“Kindly, make it convenient to attend the same and please send me a copy of your speech, in advance,” Jazeela Aslam wrote.

According to Syed Ali Imran, Secretary Supreme Court Bar Association, the Association as well as Pakistan Bar Council will host a joint reception on October 24 in honour of the outgoing chief justice.

Meanwhile, the committee constituted under Section 2(1) of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, has constituted seven benches at the principal seat Islamabad for the week commencing from Monday 21 to Friday October 25.

According to the court roster issued by the registrar, Bench No 1 will comprise Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan.

BENCH-II:

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.

BENCH-III: Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Athar Minallah.

BENCH-IV: Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed

BENCH-V: Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan.

BENCH-VI: Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Musarrat Hilali, Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan.

BENCH-VII: Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel.