CJ Qazi 'won't accept individual specific proposal on fixing tenure'

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has clarified that he would not accept any "individual specific" proposal on fixing the tenure of the country's top judge.

Terming his recent off-the-record’ conversation with journalists misinterpreted, CJP’s Secretary Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad stated that the top judge was surrounded by journalists who spoke to him and asked him questions following the commencement of the proceedings of the event to mark the judicial year on Monday.

“The Chief Justice made it clear that he was talking to them off the record, but since the conversation has been misinterpreted and widely disseminated it is necessary to accurately reproduce what transpired,” the secretary’s statement added.

The event was also addressed by the attorney general, the vice chairman of the Pakistan Bar Council and the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, he added.

The CJP secretary confirmed that Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had met Justice Isa in his chamber several months ago and had stated that the federal government was considering making the "position of the Chief Justice of Pakistan a fixed tenure post for three years".

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 Senior Puisne Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and the Attorney-General Mansoor Usman Awan were present at this meeting.

Mention was also made by the law minister of the parliamentary committee's role which he said had been diminished, therefore, it was being considered to incorporate it, and the Judicial Commission, into one body, it added.

To which, CJP Isa replied that it was parliament's prerogative, however, he added that he hoped that those in opposition to the government would not be excluded.

"The law minister has since not met the chief justice privately nor has had any discussion with him regarding any such matter," it further clarified.

The statement also mentioned a follow-up question attributed to Adviser to Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah regarding an extension in the judges' tenure.

In response to the query, the CJP replied: "He had not met the said gentleman [Rana Sanaullah] and does not know what he had said, therefore, if there are any questions they should be addressed to him directly".

As per the statement, the top judge was also asked questions related to the recently tabled bill seeking an increase in the number of apex court judges to reduce the pendency of the cases to which CJP Isa responded that "it was best if first the vacant positions were filled in".

"It is regrettable that an off-the-record conversation was needlessly and in most instances inaccurately broadcast and published and unnecessary sensationalism created," said the CJP secretary.

The speculations about CJP Isa's extension gained attraction after the PTI sought an early issuance of notification regarding the next chief justice of Pakistan last month.