ISLAMABAD: Justice Qazi Faez Isa today (Thursday) claimed that the PTI-led federal government wants to remove him from the apex court over his verdict in the Faizabad sit-in case, but vowed that he will fight “till the last drop of blood”.
Justice Isa made the remarks during a hearing of the review petitions filed against the June 19, 2020, apex court judgement about the presidential reference against him. Justice Umar Ata Bandial presided over the 10-judge SC bench which conducted the hearing.
Justice Isa complained to the bench that Law Minister Farogh Naseem had made serious allegations against him and his wife. He alleged that Naseem had no respect for the court and that his ministry is more important to him.
“The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has murdered justice,” Qazi Isa said, adding that President Dr Arif Alvi ‘did not bother’ to reply to his three letters and that he hadn’t even received a copy of the presidential reference filed against him.
He said despite that, voices against him had started on the media and “fifth-generation warfare” was initiated against him and his family. He asked why the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was ordered to complete its investigation before the detailed verdict was issued in his case.
Criticising former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa, the judge said that the former top judge “stabbed me in the back” without listening to his point of view. “My fellow judges in the SJC declared me a madman,” said Justice Isa.
Talking about his verdict in the Faizabad case, Justice Isa regretted that everyone other than former TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi filed a review petition challenging his findings. “Even the PTI and MQM also filed an appeal against the Faizabad sit-in decision,” he added.
Justice Isa appealed to the court to hear the instant case in the mornings so it can be wrapped up at the earliest because Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, part of the bench, is retiring soon.
Justice Isa retorted saying that he was more worried about the Supreme Court, and that he himself was nothing in front of it [the Supreme Court]. The court, after hearing the arguments, adjourned the hearing till Monday.
