Presidential case against Pak SC judge quashed

In the short verdict on Friday, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who was leading the 10-judge full court bench in the case filed by their colleague -- Justice Isa -- against the government's application, said the bench had unanimously quashed the case in the SJC. A detailed verdict will be announced later.

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday quashed the government's determined bid to oust Justice Qazi Faez Isa from the apex court, calling the case against him "of no legal effect whatsoever". Justice Isa is known for his bold approach in Pakistan. In 2018, Justice Isa had lashed out at the security agencies for its poor handling of protests in Faizabad, Islamabad.

The government through President Arif Alvi last year in May filed an application against the judge in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to remove him from service for not disclosing properties owned by his wife in the UK. In the short verdict on Friday, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who was leading the 10-judge full court bench in the case filed by their colleague -- Justice Isa -- against the government's application, said the bench had unanimously quashed the case in the SJC.

A detailed verdict will be announced later. "[The reference] is declared to be of no legal effect whatsoever and stands quashed," read the judgment. The SJC is a constitutional body empowered to take action against judges of the top judiciary on any complaint of misconduct or corruption.

It had started proceedings against Justice Isa but he challenged the reference in the Supreme Court. The court concluded the hearing in the morning and announced to issue the short verdict by the evening.

However, seven judges on the bench decided by majority to refer the matter of properties to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to probe if some wrong doing had been committed in the purchase of said properties. They tasked the FBR to finalize the report in two months and submit it to the SJC, which is empowered to proceed against Justice Isa if it is deemed appropriate.

A day earlier, Justice Isa's wife had recorded her statement before the court via a video link and provided the money trail for three properties in the UK. She told the court that 700,000 pounds was transferred through a banking channel to the UK from 2003 to 2013 from Pakistan.

Similarly, 600,000 million pounds was transferred before 2009 when Justice Isa was not a judge and was working as a lawyer.