ISLAMABAD – New developments reported in Supreme Court over thePresidential reference against SC Justice Qazi Faez Isa.The Supreme Courton Wednesday ordered Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khanto submit an apology or evidence about his controversial statement againstsitting judges given during Tuesday’s hearing of Justice Qazi Faez Isa case.
The order was issued when a 10-judge full court led by Justice Umar AtaBandial heard petitions filed by Justice Isa and others againstpresidential reference.
The reference was sent against the Supreme Court judge last year accusinghim of concealing his wealth in the United Kingdom, allegedly held in thename of his family members.
The controversial remarks were given by the government’s top lawyer duringthe previous hearing and later he had withdrew his statement. The apexcourt, then, barred the media from quoting the statement of attorneygeneral.
During today’s hearing, the top court reprimanded the attorney general overhis poor preparation in the case, saying, “You are wasting the time of thecourt”.
The bench remarked that the presidential reference against a judge shouldbe based on valid evidence, adding that the court was hearing the case forsix months.
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Justice Omar Atta Bandial remarked that the attorney general should provethat declaring foreign assets was mandatory instead of wasting the time.
During yesterday’s hearing, Khan had asked if seeking information onundeclared assets falls into the category of surveillance.
On Monday, Justice Isa, also a Supreme Court judge, argued in his writtensynopsis that information against him and his family members was gatheredthrough surveillance using illegal means.
He contended that such kind of surveillance on a judge is not lawful andurged the court to quash the presidential reference and proceedings in theSupreme Judicial Council.
