QUETTA, Aug 5 Barrister Qazi Faez Isa was worn in as the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court on Wednesday. Acting Governor Mohammad Aslam Bhootani administrated the oath.

Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, provincial ministers and senior lawyers attended the ceremony.

President Asif Ali Zardari appointed Mr Isa as the chief justice of the BHC in consultation with the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and the acting governor of Balochistan.

The high court was without any judge for more than 24 hours after five judges, including Chief Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, resigned on Tuesday morning seeking premature retirement to avoid facing references in the Supreme Judicial Council which would meet on Saturday.Talking to journalists, the acting governor expressed the hope that the new chief justice would provide justice to the people of Balochistan.

“Injustices and sense of deprivation can be removed by providing justice to the masses,” Mr Bhootani said.

Lauding the Supreme Court's verdict against the Provisional Constitution Order of 2007, he said it had blocked the way of undemocratic forces. He said that elements supporting undemocratic forces would think twice about doing this in future.

Mr Bhootani said the new chief justice had been chosen on merit and he belonged to a family that had played a leading role in the creation of Pakistan.

Replying to a question, he said the new chief justice would appoint judges of the high court in consultation with the chief justice of Pakistan.

Mr Isa is a senior lawyer. He is son of Qazi Mohammad Isa who was a frontline leader of the Pakistan Movement, a close associate of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the only member from Balochistan on the central working committee of the All India Muslim League.

Qazi Faez was born in 1959 in Quetta. He obtained his primary and secondary education from the Quetta Grammar School. He did his BA Honours in Law and later got the degree of Bar-at-Law from London.

He was called to the Bar in 1982 and has since been a practising lawyer in the high courts and Supreme Court.

He is a well-known writer with several books to his credit.