Justice Isa’s case: SC adjourns review petitions till Dec 8

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday adjourned hearing into review petitions in Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s case until December 8 after his counsel Munir A Malik has sought adjournment in the matter.

A six-member larger bench, headed by Justice Umar Ada Bandial, heard the review petitions filed against the apex court’s June 19 order in Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s case. Other members of the bench included Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed.

The review petitions were filed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, his wife Sarina Isa and superior bars, including the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association and others against the order passed by the 10-member full court dated June 19, 2020 to the extent of direction given to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) after the full court quashed the presidential reference, filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

In June, a 10-member full court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, had quashed the presidential reference filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa for not allegedly disclosing his family foreign properties in London in his wealth returns. They had directed the Inland Commissioner Revenue to issue notices in seven days to the spouse and children of Justice Isa, seeking their explanation regarding source of funds for acquiring properties in United Kingdom.

On Monday, Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem and Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman appeared on behalf of the government.

Serena Isa, spouse of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, also appeared and submitted that she had moved an application for constituting the full court for hearing the instant review petitions in the presidential reference. She submitted before the court that she was not a party in the case, however, her name has been mentioned again and again.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial told Mrs Isa that the court would hear her application later. The judge said that Hamid Khan is the counsel of four parties in the instant matter and he had added additional grounds to the petitions. “We would hear yours and Begum Sahiba petition later on and will wait for Munir A Malik”, Justice Umar Ata Bandial told Hamid Khan, adding that deputy lawyer of Munir A Malik had quarantined himself after his corona test came positive.

Rashid A Rizvi, one of the counsels for the petitioners in the review petitions, informed the court that Munir A Malik has sought adjournment for four weeks. Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that the court prayed for the recovery of all and directed the counsels for parties concerned that they could submit their additional grounds for their respective petitions and adjourned further hearing until December 8.