ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dispelled the impression that Justice Qazi Faez Isa was not given court sitting for the week commencing on Feb 15 and explained that the judge opted to do chamber work on his own.

In a statement, the Supreme Court office explained that on Feb 9, the court roster was issued in which Bench-IV of the Court comprised Justice Isa and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.

But on instructions from Justice Syed Shah, his personal secretary sent a note on Feb 12 to the Registrar office informing that Justice Shah, on medical grounds, would not be available to sit in the bench.

On this a revised court roster was issued on the same day i.e. Feb 12, wherein Bench-IV of the Court consisted of Justice Isa and Justice Yahya Afridi. But in the meanwhile, on instructions from Justice Isa, his senior personal secretary sent a note on Feb 12 to the registrar, informing that since Justice Shah would not be available next week in Islamabad, therefore Justice Isa would be doing chamber work in the week commencing from Feb 15.

On such a note Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed again revised the court roster and allowed chamber work to Justice Isa for the week commencing from Feb 15 to Feb 19. Besides the court roster issued for the week commencing from Feb 22 to Feb 26, Bench-IV of the court comprised Justice Isa and Justice Afridi.

On Feb 15, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) vice chairman Khush Dil Khan urged the Supreme Court to review its Feb 11 order of barring Justice Isa from hearing cases that concern Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On Feb 11, a five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed had issued an order requiring Justice Isa not to hear matters involving PM Khan, considering that he had already filed a petition against the prime minister in his personal capacity.

Meanwhile, the CJP on Tuesday inaugurated a case registration desk at the principal seat, Islamabad, and acknowledged the role of IT Affairs Committee headed by Justice Mushir Alam to digitalise Supreme Court. The chief justice observed that this facility would improve dispensation of justice to provide speedy justice to the public at large.

The desk will provide the services, including allocation of diary number, real time verification of CNIC or thumb impression of litigants/Advocate-on-Record (AOR) by Nadra, generating and printing of e-affidavit etc.

At the first instance, the system has been installed in Islamabad that will be replicated also at branch registries.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2021