Full court reference for outgoing CJP Qazi Faez Isa set for Oct 25

The full court reference for outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has been scheduled for October 25, according to a letter from the Supreme Court registrar.

The development emerged in a letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, from Supreme Court Registrar Jazeela Aslam dated today, written to Supreme Court Bar Association President Shahzad Shaukat.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah is next in line to be the country’s top judge after CJP Isa’s retirement.

An invitation to Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Awan said that it was a practice for a farewell dinner to be arranged on the occasion but CJP Isa said that he did not want one since it would cost about Rs2 million.

Since August, there have been rumours that the government was planning to extend CJP Isa’s tenure in office. Sources within the ruling coalition had claimed that some crucial amendments were on the cards. Without elaboration, a source had said the amendments would be tabled in the house through a supplementary agenda, indicating that it may be about a uniform extension in the retirement age of superior court judges.

The opposition has opposed any such move, with PTI Founder Imran Khan warning of a nationwide protest if the chief justice’s tenure was extended.

In an informal talk with reporters in Islamabad after addressing a full court to mark the beginning of the new judicial year, CJP Isa was asked about his reportedly agreeing to an extension “if it was applied to all judges”.

Dismissing the claims made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s political adviser Rana Sanaullah that CJP Isa would accept the proposal if the age limit was extended for all judges, the top judge had reiterated that he had refused any extension to his tenure.

However, the Supreme Court had subsequently regretted that “an off-the-rec­ord conversation between CJP Isa and journalists” was unnecessarily and largely inaccurately reported and published, resulting in “unwarranted sensationalism”.

A press release issued with the signature of CJP’s Secretary Dr Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad had explained that “giving unnecessary attention and importance to individuals detracts from what was important — institutions — and it be ensured that they serve the people”.

Biography

Born in Quetta on October 26, 1959, CJP Isa is the son of the late Qazi Mohammad Isa of Pishin, who was at the forefront of the Pakistan Movement and a close associate of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

CJP Isa’s father was the first person from the province to acquire the Bar-at-Law degree and helped establish the All India Muslim League in Balochistan after his return from London. His father had served as the only member on the Central Working Committee of the All India Muslim League from Balochistan.

Begum Saida Isa, CJP Isa’s mother, was a social worker and worked in an honorary capacity on the boards of hospitals and other charitable organisations which focused on education, children and women’s health issues.

After completing his primary and secondary education in Quetta, Isa moved to Karachi to finish his ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels at the Karachi Grammar School (KGS). He then went on to study law in London, where he completed his Bar Professional Examination from the Inns of Court School Law, London.

CJP Isa enrolled as an Advocate of the Balochistan High Court on January 30, 1985, and as an Advocate Supreme Court in March 1998.

He has practised law for over 27 years before the High Courts of Pakistan, the Federal Shariat Court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He became a member of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association, Sindh High Court Bar Association and a Life Member of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.

From time to time, he was called upon by the High Courts and the Supreme Court as amicus curiae and rendered assistance in certain complicated cases. He has also conducted international arbitration.

CJP Isa took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on September 5, 2014, and was sworn in as the 29th chief justice on September 17, 2023, for 13 months.

He lives in Islamabad with his wife and has two children and a granddaughter.