Justice Qazi Faez Isa appears in person before 10-member full court bench

Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the federal government and adjourned the review case hearing of Justice Qazi Faez Isa till March 2 (Tuesday).

According to the details, a ten-member larger bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the case of Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Justice Maqbool Baqir, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Mazhar Alam and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar comprising Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Qazi Amin and Justice Aminuddin Khan heard the review case of Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa himself appeared before the 10-member full court,.

During the proceedings, Justice requested that he wanted to present arguments of his case himself as the matter may be decided without any further delay. “In this case, I am not important. The Supreme Court may ponder on my request to broadcast the case hearing on Television.”

According to the review petition, the directions to the tax authorities in paragraph 4 to 11 of the June 19, 2020 short order of the apex court in the presence of the specific provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) were in the nature of legislation and that too person specific and thus without jurisdiction.

Earlier Supreme Court referred the matter of Justice Qazi Faez Isa and superior bars’ plea regarding the inclusion of three minority judges in the bench hearing the review petitions against the June 19, 2020 order to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed.

The Supreme Court Judge Justice Umar Ata Bandial announced the summary judgment. However, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik disagreed with the verdict and would write his dissenting note.

A six-judge larger bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, on December 10, 2020, reserved the decision on the plea that was filed by Justice Isa, his wife Sarina Isa and other petitioner bars regarding inclusion of three judges – Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Yahya Afridi – in the bench hearing review petitions against a judgment wherein the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was directed to conduct an inquiry into the matter regarding non-disclosure of SC judge’s family members’ assets abroad.