Tag: Chief Justice of Pakistan

  • FIA arrests Asad Toor in connection with campaign against judges

    FIA arrests Asad Toor in connection with campaign against judges

    Prominent journalist Asad Ali Toor was arrested on Monday by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with a campaign against Supreme Court (SC) judges, including Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa.

    His counsel, Imaan Mazari confirmed the arrest to Geo.tv.

    Last month, the caretaker government formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprised of six members to investigate a negative campaign against judges of apex court. 

    Imaan Mazari told Geo.tv that FIA officials detained Toor for eight hours on Friday, February 23 after he appeared before the JIT for questioning, even though he hadn’t received a formal notice as per the standard procedure.

    “We went to high court on Monday in the morning, and the chief justice, even though I specifically told him about the eight-hour detention and that there’s a real apprehension of arrest because they have threatened us as well, said that he cannot do anything based on apprehensions,” she added.

    After the hearing in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Mazari stated that she went to the FIA office at 4:46 pm while Asad was being interrogated inside.

    On Tuesday morning, Asad was presented before the magistrate, however, his lawyers were not present there.

  • ‘Made false allegations for the money, offer from PTI leader’, Rawalpindi commissioner says he lied about election rigging

    ‘Made false allegations for the money, offer from PTI leader’, Rawalpindi commissioner says he lied about election rigging

    Liaqat Ali Chatha, the ex-Rawalpindi commissioner, who made explosive allegations about the alleged manipulation of the February 8 polls in favour of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates but later withdrew them, has now claimed that PTI’s top leadership planned the entire rigging propaganda.

    He said in his official statement on Thursday that “After the incident of May 9, 2023, as with other leadership of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI), the said prominent leader of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) also absconded from courts, was declared as a Proclaim Offender (PO) and has been hiding. Throughout this time, I had direct contact with him, and I kept on discreetly helping him on various issues. Consequently, my relationship with the prominent Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) leader evolved into a very close friendship based on a high level of trust.”

    Further adding that he also stated, “After the General Elections (“GEs”) of 2024, on 11February 2024 I secretly and discreetly travelled to Lahore and held a meeting with him. It was in this meeting, that he made an offer to me that if I played a role in supporting the Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf’s (PTI) ongoing narrative of rigging in general elections (“GEs”) and maligning state institutions, he would ensure a lucrative position for me in future. He informed me that this entire plan had been formulated after consultation and approval of the senior leadership of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI).”

    He goes on to elaborate that the two had a detailed discussion on the proposed press conference. “He conveyed to me the general direction which was needed to be adopted. Initially it was proposed by me that I would write the entire narrative and submit the same as part of my resignation. However, this proposal was dropped by the said prominent Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) leader as such written resignation would not create any sensations for their narrative building. After detailed discussions, it was agreed that a press conference would be conducted by me at a time and date to be conveyed after consultation and approval of the senior leadership of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI).

    He further mentioned that “The primary aim of this proposed press conference was to create sensations and drama augmenting false narratives being built by the Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI).”

    “The name of the Chief Justice of Pakistan was taken with the aim of creating mistrust in general public against him. The Chief Justice of Pakistan did not have any role in the entire election process. However, I was specifically asked by said prominent leader of Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) to name the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). He told me that he had been specifically asked by his top leadership to do so. The aims behind naming the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) were manifold. I was told that it would help in creating the momentum of this entire narrative as Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) had already been sowing seeds of doubts and distrust in the public minds against the Chief Justice of Pakistan  (CJP),” the ex-Rawalpindi commissioner added.

  • Two judges in a row: Future Chief Justice, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan resigns

    Two judges in a row: Future Chief Justice, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan resigns

    The second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan has resigned after removing himself from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

    Journalist Azaz Syed took to X (former Twitter) and wrote, “Breaking: A future Chief Justice, Justice Ejaz ul Ahsan also tenders his resignation. Now rostrum of future chief justices will also be changed. Ejaz ul Ahsan isb neither a judge now nor a future CJ.”

    The move comes after earlier this week, Justice Mazahar Naqvi also tendered his resignation. The resignation was allegedly triggered by an open meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council.

    Senior Journalist Matiullah Jan tweeted what he believes, is the reason for Justice Ijaz’s resignation.

    The council was held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on a complaint against Justice Mazahar Naqvi, in which Justice Sardar Tariq, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Justice Amir Bhatti, and Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Naeem Akhtar Afghan participated. However, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan did not attend the council meeting.

    In the meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council, no one appeared in the council on behalf of former judge Mazahar Naqvi, on which the Chief Justice questioned whether Justice Mazahar Naqvi’s lawyer Khawaja Haris, or his juniors were present.

    The Chief Justice spoke to the Attorney General that did you receive Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan’s resignation. The Chief Justice directed the Attorney General to read out the resignation, on which he read out the resignation of the former judge.

    The Chief Justice of Pakistan said that the article under which the resignation was given should be read, on which the Attorney General read out Article 179.

    The Chief Justice asked if the Council could act without Justice Ijaz or will it be the next senior judge. The attorney general said that the council must include a senior judge.

    Justice Qazi Faez said that Justice Ijaz-ul-Hasan has resigned from joining the council and the next senior judge is Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. It then has to be ascertained whether Justice Mansoor is available or not.

    The Chief Justice directed the Secretary of the Council to find out the availability of Justice Mansoor and said that if Justice Mansoor is available, then the Council will sit again.

    Under Clause three of Article 209 of the Constitution, if there is no judge in the Council, the next senior judge can be included.

    Later, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah joined the council in place of Justice Ijaz-Ul-Ahsan and the council stopped the council meeting until the availability of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

  • Legal fraternity criticises Justice Naqvi’s resignation over expected perks

    Legal fraternity criticises Justice Naqvi’s resignation over expected perks

    Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, who has been facing allegations of misconduct, has resigned from the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday. The esteemed justice cited circumstances that had become “a matter of public knowledge” as the reason behind his resignation.

    The resignation letter, obtained by Dawn.com, was formally addressed to President Dr. Arif Alvi. Justice Naqvi expressed gratitude for the honor of serving as a judge, both in the Lahore High Court and later in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

    “In the circumstances, which are a matter of public knowledge and to some extent public record, it is no longer possible for me to continue to serve as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” stated Justice Naqvin

    Acknowledging the importance of due process, he added, “Considerations of due process also compel. I, therefore, effective today, resign as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”

    Mian Dawood, a Lahore-based lawyer, one of the complainants against Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, declared the resignation a win for lawyers and asserted that they would challenge his resignation in the Supreme Court.

    Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leader Khwaja Asif demanded that assets of the judge and his children should be investigated in the same manner as is done for politicians.

    Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii took tok X (former Twitter) and said, “This resignation should be rejected. He should face the SJC and the truth should out. If he is guilty of the accusations against him, he should not have the choice to take a million rupee a month pension off into the sunset like other supposedly compromised agents before him.”

    Lawyer Nighat Dad also criticised the move and said, “Pakistanis should only focus on the perks #JusticeMazaharAkbarNaqvi he and his family will be enjoying from our tax money after resignation. His pension amount will be determined on the basis of years of service. He will have one driver and one orderly. A police guard at residence. 300 free local calls, 2000 units of electricity, 25 HM of gas, water and 300 litres of petrol per month.”

    Journalist Matiullah Jan also questioned the merits of resignation.

    The Case

    In October last year, the SJC had issued a show-cause notice to Justice Naqvi in connection with 10 complaints lodged against him and directed the judge to submit a reply within two weeks.

    The ten complaints include the complaints of Mian Dawood, a Lahore-based lawyer, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Lawyers Forum, Punjab, PBC Vice Chairperson Haroon Rasheed and Council’s Chairperson Executive Committee Hasan Raza Pasha and Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan, for amassing illegitimate assets and misconduct.

    In his response, Justice Naqvi raised issues with the SJC inquiry against him and called for Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and two other judges to recuse themselves from the matter.

    On Nov 20, Justice Naqvi contested the SJC proceedings against him and also challenged the show-cause notice issued to him by the council, stating the initiation of proceedings was coram non-judice and without lawful authority.

    Subsequently, the SJC issued a fresh show-cause notice to Justice Naqvi on Nov 22, with a direction to come up with his defense by filing a reply within a fortnight.

    On December 4, Justice Naqvi had again approached the apex court and expressed his intent to pursue the constitutional petition he had moved earlier seeking to quash the revised show-cause notice issued by the SJC.

    Two days later, Justice Naqvi had invited the attention of the SC committee comprising three senior-most judges to the silence over his petitions challenging the issuance of the show-cause notice (SCN) despite the lapse of time as stipulated in the Supreme Court (Practice & Procedure) Act, 2023.

    Justice Naqvi had also written a separate letter to the SJC secretary, asking the latter to furnish a number of documents without which, the judge said, he would not be in a position to prepare his reply to the show-cause notice within time.

    On December 15, the SJC, in an open hearing, had given two weeks to the top court judge to respond to the misconduct allegations and directed him to submit a reply to the show-cause notice by January 1.

    On January 8, Justice Naqvi had withdrawn his objection to the three-judge bench hearing his plea challenging the issuance of a show-cause notice to him.

  • Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa nay Mercedes neelami pay lagga dee

    Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa nay Mercedes neelami pay lagga dee

    Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, has ordered that two luxury vehicles, allocated for his use by both the federal and Punjab governments, should be auctioned, as per Geo News.

    The decision comes as Chief Justice Isa deems the allocation an “inappropriate splurge of scarce public resources.”

    The Supreme Court registrar communicated the Chief Justice’s decision through a letter addressed to the federal government, cabinet secretary and Punjab chief secretary.

    The letter revealed that in September 2020, the apex court purchased a new Mercedes Benz, 2996 CC sedan for the Chief Justice at the cost of Rs61 million.

    Furthermore, the Government of Punjab provided a brand new bullet-proof Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number LEG-S00 for the use of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

    The vehicle is currently stationed at the Supreme Court Rest House in the Government Officers Residence (GOR), Lahore.

    The communication emphasized that, by established rules, every judge of the apex court is entitled to two vehicles.

    “Justice Isa has not used the said Mercedes sedan nor the Toyota Land Cruiser,” said the letter. It further stated that it is an “inappropriate splurge of scarce public resources to buy imported luxury vehicles for the use of constitutional and public office holders”.

    “Therefore, these vehicles may be collected and auctioned and the money realised from the sale be spent on much needed public transport,” said the letter.

    Justice Isa took oath as the 29th CJP in September of this year after his predecessor Umar Ata Bandial hung up his robes.

    Justice Isa’s tenure as the country’s chief justice, however, will be quite brief, as he is set to retire from the position on October 25, 2024.

    He took oath as the apex court’s judge on September 5, 2014.

  • Show cause notice issued to Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi

    Show cause notice issued to Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi

    The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) issued a detailed show-cause notice to Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi on Wednesday, urging him to respond within 14 days.

    The show-cause was served with a 4-1 majority vote, with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq, Justice Ameer Bhatti, and Justice Naeem Afghan voting in favor, while Justice Ijazul Ahsan dissented.

    The notice comes in response to 10 complaints filed against Justice Naqvi, addressing allegations of financial misconduct and possessing assets beyond means.

    Ten complaints include the complaints of Mian Dawood, a Lahore-based lawyer, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz Lawyers Forum, Punjab, PBC Vice Chairperson Haroon Rasheed and Council’s Chairperson Executive Committee Hasan Raza Pasha and Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan, for amassing illegitimate assets and misconduct.

    During the SJC meeting, complainants presented evidence, while Justice Naqvi’s objections were also reviewed by the council.

    Justice Naqvi previously challenged the SJC inquiry, asserting that it was launched based on alleged misconduct and assets beyond means.

    The objections raised by Justice Naqvi were examined during Tuesday’s meeting by council members, who also heard perspectives from complainants.

    The allegations against Justice Naqvi involve financial misconduct, and the show-cause notice underscores the seriousness with which the SJC is approaching the matter.

    The hearing is scheduled to continue, and Justice Naqvi’s response will be pivotal in determining the course of the proceedings.

  • Chief Justice calls meeting of Supreme Judicial Council

    Chief Justice calls meeting of Supreme Judicial Council

    The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, has called a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Friday at 11.30 a.m. as per Maryam Nawaz of Geo News.

    The meeting will focus on addressing complaints lodged against several high-ranking judges, including Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.

    Notably, this will mark the first SJC meeting under the leadership of CJP Isa, following a gap of over three years since the previous moot. The council, chaired by CJP Isa, includes two other senior judges of the highest court, namely Justice Tariq Masood and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan.

    The SJC holds the exclusive authority to dismiss judges from superior courts based on various charges.

    Apart from Justice Naqvi, there have been grievances filed against other judges of the superior court.

    The primary agenda for tomorrow’s meeting is likely to be the consideration of a complaint against Justice Naqvi.

    Justice Masood, senior judge of the Supreme Court and member of SJC, had submitted his legal opinion on the misconduct complaints filed against apex court Justice Naqvi in September this year, according to The News.

    Several misconduct complaints were filed against Justice Naqvi during the tenure of former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial who referred the matter to Justice Tariq Masood for examination and legal opinion.

    Initially, the misconduct complaint against Justice Naqvi was filed with the SJC by a Lahore-based lawyer Muhammad Dawood. Later on, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) also announced that they were going to file a complaint against the senior judge.

    PBC Vice Chairman Haroon Rashid lodged a misconduct complaint against Justice Naqvi after an audio leak implied discussions regarding the manipulation of a case before a specific bench or judge, involving former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi.

    Earlier this year, in April, senior judges of the Supreme Court, Justice Isa and Justice Masood, had urged former CJP Bandial to convene an SJC meeting to address the misconduct complaints against Justice Naqvi.

    In a joint letter to all SJC members, the judges emphasized the importance of ensuring the impartial investigation of the complaints to uphold the judiciary’s integrity and the judge’s reputation.

  • ‘They do love marriages, then become a problem for court’: Chief Justice

    ‘They do love marriages, then become a problem for court’: Chief Justice

    Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa has remarked that having a beard does not make a person a Muslim, people themselves marry for love and then it becomes an issue for the court as per Aaj news.

    The case of the extradition of two minor girls was heard in the Supreme Court by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    The court ordered the two girls to be handed over to their mother, ordering that the father of the girls will be able to visit the girls on Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm, and if the father violated the court order, contempt of court action will be taken against him.

    The lawyer of the father pleaded with the court that the girls should be with the father, as their mother works at night, and does not have time to take care of them.

    Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa expressed his anger and asked whether the lawyer has read the principle of extradition in Islam or not, stressing that according to Shariat, children stay with their mothers.

    The Chief Justice remarked that we are Muslims in name only, our work is not that of Muslims, just having a beard does not make a person a Muslim, action must also be taken. Prayer, fasting, and Hajj are not enough, he observed, adding that humanity and morals are also necessary. If the parents are not divorced, their mutual resentment will spoil the future of the children.

    The Chief Justice asked the children’s father whether he had a love marriage or an arranged marriage.
    Taimur, the father of the children, said that it was a love marriage.

    The Chief Justice remarked that people themselves marry for love, and then they become an issue for the court.

    The Supreme Court disposed of the case with the consent of the parents.

  • Lawyer fined by Qazi Faez Isa for ‘wasting’ court’s time

    Lawyer fined by Qazi Faez Isa for ‘wasting’ court’s time

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa imposed a fine on a lawyer on Thursday for what he considered a clear wastage of the court’s valuable time. According to reports, the Chief Justice levied a penalty of Rs5,000 on the lawyer for consuming the court’s time during proceedings related to a property case.

    Justice Isa pointed out that the attorney had failed to appropriately draw the court’s attention to pertinent documents, instead attempting to misguide the court. Expressing his disappointment with the petitioner’s legal representative, the Chief Justice remarked that their actions had undermined the court’s trust.

    He addressed the lawyer directly, saying, “The court has lost faith in you with this act of yours”.

    Chief Justice Isa further instructed the lawyer to donate the fine amount to a charity of their choice and provide the court with proof of the donation receipt. The case in question revolved around a property dispute, with court proceedings having extended over several weeks.

  • Unprepared lawyers in live Supreme Court proceedings unleash Pakistani Twitter at its best

    Unprepared lawyers in live Supreme Court proceedings unleash Pakistani Twitter at its best

    The live transmission of the Supreme Court’s (SC) full bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qaez Faez Isa on Monday has led to social media blitz of memes.

    Delighted viewers got to see a Supreme Court hearing for the first time, and they did not hold back on jokes.

    Lawyers, particularly Khawaja Tariq Rahim, came under particular scrutiny, and the internet was not particularly impressed with his arguments, or lack thereof.

    We have gathered the best of the internet’s comments on proceedings, judges’ remarks and lawyers’ arguments.

    One user used a meme about what lawyers think they do, what public thinks lawyers do and what lawyers actually do.

    Another user tweeted a meme what CJP Isa might have said to Advocate Khawaja Tariq Rahim.

    More tweets about lawyers and their arguments here:

    Do you agree with these tweets?