Apex bench issues notice to AGP Khalid Jawed Khan and adjourned the hearing till Tuesday
ISLAMABAD: Justice Qazi Faez Isa appeared on Monday before the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC), which is hearing a review petition against the June 19 order in which the apex court quashed a presidential reference filed against the SC judge.
During the proceedings, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, the apex court judge asked the bench to decide his case soon as one member of the bench, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, was retiring next month.
Justice Isa also informed the court that his counsel, Muneer A. Malik, could not appear as he was unwell.
“This case is extremely important as it’s about the accountability of judges and transparency regarding judges conduct,” Justice Isa said adding that the whole nation eyes were on this case. It’s not because people love him, he maintained.
The apex bench issued a notice to Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan and adjourned the hearing till Tuesday.
The apex court also sought written reasoning from Justice Isa’s attorney regarding his inability to argue the case.
On February 26, it was reported that Justice requested SC to permit a live broadcast of his case proceedings.
“To restore a semblance of balance and to correct the public perception, it is submitted that all future proceedings in the petitioner’s case may graciously be directed to be broadcast live, and/or live-streamed,” says an application moved by Justice Isa.
“Broadcasting and/or live streaming of court proceedings would be an affirmation of the Fundamental and constitutional rights of the petitioner and of the public. This would also be a testament to accountability and transparency, which in the present case must ruthlessly be pursued,” the application adds.
He requested the Supreme Court to direct the state-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) to broadcast live the proceedings of his case.
