Curative review reference against Justice Isa dismissed 

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Friday approved the incumbent government’s petition seeking withdrawal of a curative review reference filed against Senior Puisne Judge of Supreme Court (SC) Qazi Faez Isa, ARY News reported.

CJP Umar Ata Bandial – in its written verdict – wrote the “instant Civil Misc. Applications filed by the appellants are accordingly allowed and their curative review petitions are dismissed as withdrawn”.

“Under normal circumstances, the matter is sent to the court when the curatorial review is admissible,” the SC verdict stated, adding that the law allows applicants to withdraw their applications.

CJP Bandial had reserved the verdict on the federal government’s plea earlier in April this year.

It is pertinent to mention here that the reference was filed against Justice Isa by the PTI government in May 2019, alleging that he acquired three properties in London on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015, but did not disclose them in his wealth returns.

Justice Isa contested the allegation, saying he is not a beneficial owner of the flats — neither directly nor indirectly.

Earlier in March, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed law ministry to withdraw the curative review reference filed against Supreme Court’s senior judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

In a statement, the prime minister has directed Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to withdraw the curative review reference against Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa as it was “politically motivated”.

The premier further said CRR was filed only to defame Justice Qazi Faez Isa and his family members. “This was not a reference rather a victimization by revengeful Imran Khan against an impartial person pursuing the course of constitution and the law.”

“This was a conspiracy to usurp the independence of judiciary and create a division within,” the prime minister remarked.

Later, President Dr Arif Alvi approved the withdrawal of the curative review petition and Civil Miscellaneous Application against Justice Isa through Article 48 of the Constitution.

Reference against Justice Isa dismissed

The Supreme Court (SC) on June 19, dismissed the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa after declaring it ‘invalid’.

The detailed verdict released by the apex court nullified the presidential reference against Justice Isa and termed the reference as a violation of the law and the Constitution.

The judgment stated that the presidential reference filed against Justice Isa was in violation of the law and the Constitution. “The worthy President grossly failed to exercise his discretion as mandated under the Constitution and, thus, the entire process built thereon leading to the filing of the Reference was in violation of the law and the Constitution,” the verdict read.