ISLAMABAD: A war of words has ensued between Justice Qazi Faez Isa and former law minister Dr Farogh Naseem after the judge rubbished an allegation that he had deferred the latter’s application for restoration of his lawyer’s licence after his resignation from the federal cabinet.

In a petition moved before the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Dr Naseem said he had moved an application to the PBC’s enrolment committee for restoration of his licence, but the body’s chairman, Justice Isa, “deliberately deferred a decision on the matter”.

However, a statement issued by Farrukh Malik, secretary to Justice Isa, and addressed to PBC chairman Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, rejected the allegation and clarified that Dr Naseem’s application was first seen by Justice Isa only on Monday (April 25).

The statement rubbished an allegation that two committee members, Qalbe Hassan and Azam Nazeer Tarar, tried their best to persuade the chairman into antedating the matter, but “Justice Isa did not budge an inch”.

Mr Malik said Justice Isa neither had held any meeting with members of the enrolment committee nor had he spoken to them about Dr Naseem.

He rejected an allegation levelled by the former law minister that Justice Isa was biased against the petitioner (Dr Naseem) and that he was inordinately delaying the matter.

The statement explained that the application was received at the PBC vice chairman’s office on April 7 and neither the chairman nor the enrolment committee had gone through it.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2022