ATTACKS on his person and conduct by vested interests notwithstanding, there has never been any iota of doubt about the personality of the incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is considered as an upright, honest and truthful judge who upholds the law and the Constitution at all costs. This has been established by a series of verdicts that the top court delivered during his tenure as well as decisions taken by him as the CJP.
The latest is his decision to decline a farewell reception upon his retirement, saying that he cannot accept such an event funded by public money. As per the tradition of the Supreme Court, the Registrar’s Office sent a note to the Chief Justice regarding the reception planned for his retirement on October 25. However, true to his principled approaches to important issues, he refused to get a reception that could cost the exchequer two million rupees. This will mark the first instance in the Supreme Court’s history where no farewell reception is held for a retiring judge of the apex court. In our country and the system where extravagance has become a norm, saving of two million rupees might not be considered as substantial but he has set a good tradition, which, if pursued by others as well, could mean much for the country. Incidentally, scheduling of the reference for the CJP also signals an official acknowledgement that Justice Qazi Faez Isa will stand retired as CJP on the due date. Qazi Faez Isa himself made it repeatedly clear that he will not seek an extension in his tenure but rumours kept on circulating based on the governmental move to amend the Constitution to pave the way for establishment of a Constitutional Court and other judicial reforms. The Government, after failure of its first attempt to get the proposed amendments tabled and passed by the parliament, is once again engaged in wheeling dealing to muster necessary support for the purpose and the situation will become clear during the next two weeks.
