Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa confirmed on Tuesday that the federal government had approached him with an offer to extend and fix his term for three years. However, the top judge clarified that he had told the government that if the move was person-specific, he would not accept it.
This was clarified in a statement issued by Chief Justice Isa's office on Tuesday.
The statement, issued by CJP Isa's Secretary Dr Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, noted that certain remarks made by the top judge in an informal and off-record setting had been misinterpreted and widely circulated. "It is necessary to accurately reproduce what transpired," the statement read.
CJP Isa noted that during his informal interaction with journalists over tea, he was asked about being offered an 'extension' in his tenure by the government.
"Several months earlier, the Law Minister had come to him in his Chamber and had stated that the government was considering making the position of the Chief Justice of Pakistan a fixed tenure post for three years," the statement read, referring to the chief justice's remarks.
"The Chief Justice informed the journalists that he told the Law Minister that if the proposal was individual specific, and if enacted, it would not be something he would accept."
The statement added that when this meeting with Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar took place, the Senior Puisne Judge (Justice Mansoor Ali Shah) and the Attorney-General were also present.
The statement added that Tarar went on to discuss matters pertaining to the role of the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice. CJP Isa recalled that the law minister had posited that the committee's role had been diminished, therefore, it was being considered to incorporate it and the Judicial Commission into a singular body. To this, the CJP replied that it was the Parliament's prerogative, however, he added that he hoped those in opposition to the government would not be excluded from such a body.
It was further stated that the law minister and Chief Justice Isa have not met privately since that meeting, nor have they discussed the matter with the CJP.
The statement further clarified that the response to a follow-up question attributed to something mentioned by Rana Sanaullah concerning this subject was simply that he had not met the said gentleman (Rana Sanaullah) and did not know what he had said, therefore, if there are any questions they should be addressed to him directly.
Questions were also asked of the chief justice, the statement said, about the proposal to increase the number of judges in the top court since the number of pending cases has increased. To this, the CJP responded that it would be best if the vacant positions in the top court were filled first.
"It is regrettable that an off-the-record conversation was needlessly and in most instances inaccurately broadcast and published and unnecessary sensationalism created," the statement complained, adding that spreading such statements gives unnecessary attention and importance to individuals and detracts from what is important — institutions — and it be ensured that they serve the people.
