Imran Khan again asks CJP Isa to recuse himself from cases involving him

Again showing his distrust in Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa, former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan on Monday submitted an application to the Practice and Procedure Committee, requesting the CJP not to hear the cases involving him, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

In the application, the PTI founder said that Justice Isa should not sit on the bench hearing his case.

Over a month back, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, sisters of Imran Khan, had approached the Supreme Court seeking the recusal of CJP Qazi Faez Isa from cases involving their brother, but their plea was not entertained by the SC office.

Earlier on July 24, 2024, Imran had filed an application to the three-member bench-constitution committee of the top court, seeking the recusal of the chief justice from the cases involving him, his wife, his party, or his allies.

In the application, the former PM pointed to the "actual and potential bias" on the part of Justice Isa.

Imran said that the bias had its roots in the reference, which had been filed against the CJP during his government and that it had not faded away despite Justice Isa’s elevation to the rank of the chief justice.

PTI challenges presidential ordinance in SHC

Also on Monday, the PTI challenged the amendment made to the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act through an ordinance in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Making the federal government, secretary cabinet and secretary parliamentary affairs respondents, the party stated in the petition that the CJP Isa, in one of his decisions, had set three conditions for the ordinance. “Presently there is no emergency in the country. And at a time when there is a parliament in the country, there was no need for the ordinance.”

It was argued in the petition that in the light of the apex court verdict, there was no justification for the promulgation of an ordinance. “If the amendment was really necessary, it should have been made after a debate in the parliament rather than through an ordinance,” read the petition.

The SC, the petitioner said, was to resolve its issues itself. “There would be no independence of judiciary if the executive interferes in the working of the former.”

Reporters: Amanat Gishkori and Mumtaz Jamali