Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday returned a “curative review petition” by the Imran Khan government challenging the apex court’s judgement on a plea to review the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case.
The apex court registrar’s office, while returning the government’s “curative review petition” in the case said that a second review petition could not be filed to challenge the court’s decision in the matter against Justice Isa when the court has clearly stated that the case built by the government against him has no legal standing, the Dawn reported.
Imran Khan’s government resorted to invoking an unheard-of legal remedy to challenge the apex court’s judgement.
This “curative review petition” was moved on behalf of the federation but the Attorney General has distanced himself from the pleas saying he was not in the picture.
A spokesman of the Law Ministry, however, said the petition would be filed again after addressing the registrar office’s objections, reported Dawn.
Senior lawyers have also opined that such a petition does not hold much legal weight once the Supreme Court has already issued a judgement on the review petition of Justice Isa, reported Dawn.
The apex court had earlier taken up the case and almost every aspect of the allegations against Justice Isa had been dissected threadbare and every feasible piece of evidence was examined in great detail.
Justice Isa and his wife had presented whatever paper trail was required of them while the government’s legal team also got full opportunity to build a case against the judge, reported Dawn.
Allegations were levelled against him and his family for not disclosing foreign assets. In Pakistan, government and invisible forces have typically employed a formula of victimizing dissenting judges and politicians by making them subject to inquiries over assets allegedly beyond their means.
Many politicians and civil servants prefer not to challenge the status quo, fearing the wrath of the government or the powerful quarters.
The exhaustive proceedings were finally led to a decision in Justice Isa’s review petition by a 10-member bench. The judgement clearly exonerated the judge of all charges.
It is now inadvisable for the Imran government to rake up the matter. The move smacks of desperation, whereas it is now time for acceptance. The government should let the matter rest and move on. No one benefits if the judiciary is dragged back into a public controversy that has run its legal course, advised a editorial in Dawn. (ANI)
