ISLAMABAD – The embattled Supreme Court’s Justice Qazi Faez Isa has pennedanother letter to President Arif Alvi, claiming that his children andspouse, who own three properties in the United Kingdom, are not hisdependents.
In his communication with the president – who forwarded a reference to theSupreme Judicial Council – the SC judge has also requested the president toprovide a copy of the said reference against him.
Regarding the allegations about violating Section 116 (1) (b) of the IncomeTax Ordinance 2001, the supreme court judge has said he had not receivedany notice from the tax authority.
“Secondly, my children are not minors nor have they been so for quite awhile. Thirdly, neither my spouse nor my children are my dependents.Fourthly, Section 116 (1) (b) of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 is not penalprovision,” stated the letter written by Justice Isa on Monday.
The judge complained that he and his family had been maliciously malignedby half-truths and innuendoes by members of the government, which wasdeeply distressing.
“The properties are owned by those in whose names they stand. No attemptwas made to conceal their ownership, neither were they held under a trustnor a special purpose or offshore company,” stated the five-page letter.
If the independence of the judiciary is destroyed, the fundamental rightsof people enshrined in the Constitution become little more than words onpaper, he warned, adding that the sanctity of the Constitution is ofparamount concern to him.
The apex court judge contended that he was not under any obligation todisclose his finances/financials, but did so voluntarily because doubtshave been cast upon his integrity.
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Justice Isa went on to question whether the prime minister had disclosed inall his tax returns the properties owned by his wives and children.
‘If the prime minister did not do so, he had surely not advised thepresident to submit the reference,’ it said.
The government has moved a reference against Qazi Faez Isa and other judgesof superior judiciary, attracting flak from the opposition and politicalcommentators, who are terming it victimization.
A day earlier, the federal cabinet met under the chair of Prime MinisterImran Khan and affirmed that “there are no holy cows in any department”regarding the recently filed references against judges of the superiorjudiciary.
The cabinet members dismissed the criticism directed at the government overthe filing of references in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), stressingthat the government will continue to pursue uniform justice for all.
