ISLAMABAD    -   The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing of Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s petition against presidential reference until Monday (October 14).

A ten-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprised Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, heard the case regarding proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

During the course of proceedings, Advocate Munir A Malik counsel for Justice Qazi Faez Isa said his client announced a decision which is intolerable to the administration and added a media campaign has been organised to defame his client.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the facts of this case are different from the facts of past cases. This is not a case in which the judge is suspended or the judge is locked in the home, he added.

He said the court will handle the case in a transparent manner and it will review every aspect of this case. Munir Malik said a malicious presidential reference is made against his client.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial said where the malpractice is found in the facts of the presidential reference.

The advocate said presidential reference is used as part of a regular campaign to harass the judge.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked who launched the campaign and tell the court that the allegations made in the presidential reference are wrong.

The presidential reference gives the impression that properties are created under malpractice and the court cannot bury the issue of property, he added. He said honourable friend of his community has been accused of malpractice and the court wants to hear the case.

The attorney general said he apologised for not submitting the response within a week and he will submit the answer soon. Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the facts within the reference are not ignored by the petitioner. When the petitioner was the chief justice of Balochistan High Court, three properties were purchased abroad, he added. He asked the counsel whether this is not a fact.

Later, hearing of the case was adjourned till Monday.

URDU AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

APP adds: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday sought reply from federal government within two weeks on a petition seeking to declare Urdu as office language of Pakistan in compliance of top court orders.

Justice Aamer Farooq of IHC conducted hearing on a petition filed by Tahafuz Zindaqi Foundation’s Akram Chaudhry. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Raja Khalid Mehmood also appeared before the court.

During the course of proceeding, the bench asked the DAG what was the stance of federation in light of Supreme Court’s judgment regarding the matter.

The DAG replied that the federation would implement the orders passed by this court. The court observed that the top court had already pass a judgment and ordered to declare Urdu as office language under Article 251 of the Constitution.

The court ordered the federation to submit a written reply within two weeks and adjourned hearing of the case.

It may be mentioned here that Cabinet Division, Establishment Division and Ministry of Law & Justice had been nominated as respondents in the case.