AS an individual who has the privilege of knowing Mr Justice Qazi Faez Isa for over 30 years, and of having worked closely with him in co-compiling and producing the first-ever handbook of its kind for UNESCO-AMIC in 1997 titled: “Mass media laws and regulations in Pakistan — with a historical commentary” one is able to state with personal knowledge and confidence that he is an Individual of exceptional intellectual and ethical integrity.

He is forthright and courageous in expressing his views — and sometimes does reflect a distracting impatience! But his sincerity and dedication to the public interest, and to ensuring the rule of law and justice, is unflinching. If at all any discrepancy has been detected in the filing of personal or family wealth statements, the reasons are most likely to be inadvertent or accidental, not devious and evasive.

While one does not personally know the other Justice against whom a reference has been filed, one is aware of the categorical resolution adopted by the Pakistan Bar Council on June 12 and by Bar associations earlier. They are indicative of the respect he also enjoys in the legal profession.

The government should withdraw the references to remove perceptions about mala fide intentions. If this does not happen, one hopes the Supreme Judicial Council will act swiftly and justly to end this unfortunate episode.

Senator (retd) Javed Jabbar

New York

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2019