SC Allows Justice Isa To Argue His Case

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Mar, 2021 ) :The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Justice Qazi Faez Isa to argue his case regarding a review petition against the June 19, 2020 order.

A ten-member SC larger bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Aminuddin Khan heard the review petition seeking removal of paragraphs 2 to 11 of the June 19, 2020 verdict.

The apex court had quashed a presidential reference filed against SC judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

During the course of proceedings, the court allowed Justice Isa to argue his case after receiving a written application by his counsel Muneer A Malik regarding his inability to argue the case due to illness.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa arguing his application for live coverage of his case proceedings said that freedom of expression was a basic human right. ptv broadcast the proceedings of Parliament live while there was no mention of live broadcast of Parliamentary proceedings in the Constitution, he added.

He asked why wasn't the court using the technology if it was available.

Justice Bandial said that there were logistic and practical concerns about the live telecast of court proceedings. It was a policy and administrative rather than judicial matter, he added.

He said that the full court would review whether the live broadcast could be allowed or not. If the court agreed to direct coverage, the state machinery would be used, he added.

He said that no private camera would be allowed in the court. There should be journalists in court rather than capitalists, he added.

He asked who would represent the Federal government? Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman said that he just received instructions to receive notice.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that surprisingly, it had not been decided yet who would represent the federal government in the case.

Later, hearing of the case was adjourned until tomorrow (Wednesday).