— accuses Imran Khan of misusing presidency in attack on judiciary
— PTI govt had filed legal plea, asking to set aside majority judgement in review case against judge
ISLAMABAD: Shehbaz Sharif ordered the withdrawal of a curative, or second, review petition against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is in line to become the chief justice in September, on Thursday.
The previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had filed an unprecedented legal plea before the Supreme Court, asking it to set aside its majority judgement in the review case against the judge. The plea argued the judgement, issued in April 2021, was manifestly and patently unjust, against the public interest and public good, and defeated the purpose of judicial accountability.
“On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against […] Justice Qazi Faez Isa,” tweeted the prime minister.
On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The Curative Review was based on ill-will & meant to harass & intimidate the honourable Judge at the behest of Imran Niazi.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 30, 2023
The prime minister, who called the reference “baseless and politically motivated”, said the government would not pursue it further. The federal cabinet had already approved the withdrawal of the reference in a meeting chaired by the prime minister.
According to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office, Sharif instructed Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to withdraw the reference. He accused his predecessor, Imran Khan, of trying to attack the independence of the judiciary and create divisions by making a frivolous reference against an impartial person pursuing the course of the constitution and law.
He also accused Khan of misusing the presidency to become an accomplice in an attack on the judiciary. The prime minister further said that even when in opposition, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and other coalition parties had opposed the reference, and the lawyers’ bodies including the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) had also opposed it.
Members of the ruling coalition have hailed the decision as a move towards upholding the independence of the judiciary in Pakistan.
