Manend Team 
ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS): The Supreme Court of Pakistan on
Wednesday issued a notice to the federal government on Justice Qazi
Faez Isa’s review petition, with the apex court judge requesting a live
broadcast of the review petition’s proceedings.
As the 10-judge larger bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial
heard the plea on Thursday, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said that
science and technology should be welcomed to bring transparency to
the justice system.
He observed that science and technology have played a great role in
improving and ensuring transparency in the system. The judge also
referred to innovation in DNA research, as hundreds of convictions
were overturned. Likewise, cameras were installed in the district
courts for supervision.
However, Justice Shah also wondered about the downsides of live
coverage of court proceedings. According to Justice Isa, two members
of a bench could negate administrative decision taken by the full court.
However, a decision by the 10-judge larger bench cannot be
overturned by a full court from the administrative view.
Justice, he maintained, should not only be carried out but the same
should be done visibly. He termed the judgment in the Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto murder case as the ‘most controversial’. He also referred to
Justice Naseem Hassan Shah’s interview wherein he had revealed that
there was pressure by the government to issue a verdict against the
PPP leader.
The senior judge said that if a recording of the case was available, it
could also be used for educational purposes. “Why [do] we burry [the]
history,” he asked the bench.
At this, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik urged him to avoid the
judgments that could be cited before him in a case.
Justice Isa wondered if a judge could be maligned publicly, why should
their case could not be heard publicly.
He noted that the main stakeholders of the justice system are
litigants. He also highlighted that the live coverage was beneficial for
education and bringing more discipline, and improving the quality of
the justice system.
When Justice Isa referred to a question as to what ‘establishment’
was, Justice Bandial said that it is a political argument. However,
Justice Isa responded, saying, “it’s not a political question, but is an
avoidance [of] the truth.”
On the occasion, Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman said the
federal government would oppose Justice Isa’s request for live
coverage. The hearing of case was adjourned until Monday.
On Tuesday, the apex court bench, which is hearing a slew of petitions
against the Supreme Court’s June 19, 2020 verdict in Justice Qazi Faez
Isa case, permitted Justice Isa to plead his own case in view of the
illness of his counsel, Munir Ahmed Malik.
On June 19, 2020, seven judges of a 10-judge bench quashed a
presidential reference against Justice Isa but also ordered the Federal
Board of Revenue (FBR) to conduct an inquiry into the judge’s family
members’ foreign assets and submit a report to the Supreme Judicial
Council (SJC).
