Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) on Friday rejected the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The short verdict was announced by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, leading the 10-judge full court bench hearing the case.

The SJC had initiated the proceedings over Justice Isa’s alleged non-disclosure in wealth returns of three London properties acquired on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015.

Seven judges referred matter to the FBR for tax proceedings against Justice Qazi Faez Isa s wife & children, however, three judges Justice Baqar, Justice Mansoor and Justice Yahya did not endorse majority view to refer matter to FBR.

Through his petition, Justice Isa pleaded before the Supreme Court to consider and declare that the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) constituted by the government to investigate his family’s properties was illegal and working without any legal effect and any of the actions taken by the unit with regard to the reference against the petitioner judge and his family was thereby illegal and of no legal effect.

The petition also claimed that no search was ever conducted and the names and property details of the petitioner’s family were gathered through surveillance.

The case was wrapped up after Justice Isa’s spouse provided the money trail pertaining to her foreign properties and the Federal Board of Revenue provided its input on the matter.