Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar on Friday said that the government was “satisfied” with the Supreme Court’s decision to quash the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, adding that they will not file an appeal against it.
Earlier today, the apex court threw out the presidential reference against Justice Isa, terming it “invalid” and also withdrew a show cause notice issued to the judge.
The short order asked that the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) inland revenue commissioner send a notice to the judge’s wife and children within seven days, asking them to give explanations about the nature and source of funding for three properties in their names in the United Kingdom.
The commissioner will be time-bound to complete the investigation within 60 days and issue a report within 15 days of the investigation’s conclusion. The FBR was also directed to submit a report to the SC registrar within seven days of the commissioner’s order.
The registrar will then present the report to the chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) — the chief justice of Pakistan — who will decide when to present it in the council.
Addressing a press conference alongside Information Minister Shibli Faraz after the short order was released, Akbar said that there were three scenarios in which a judge can be questioned.
“First, a person or department in possession of any information can send it directly to the SJC. Second, the government, through the president, can send a reference to the SJC. Third, the SJC takes suo motu notice.”
Akbar said that it was only the SJC that had the domain to investigate matters relating to the superior judiciary. “You can inform them, but you can’t inquire […] on the basis of this a reference was sent [against Justice Isa]”.
