ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday asked Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan that under which law the government officials made the reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa public and who authorised the Asset Recovery Unit to inquire against the apex court judge.
A 10-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, heard the case regarding proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Isa.
The reference filed against Justice Isa alleges that he acquired three properties in London on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015, but did not disclose them in his wealth returns.
During the course of proceedings, the attorney general submitted a report about Justice Isa’s wife and said that she stated that she was filing returns in Karachi while her husband had stated that his income was not taxable, so he did not file returns. Justice Isa’s wife requested for transfer of record from Islamabad to Karachi, he added.
He said that she had filed online returns in 2012 and 2013 but the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued notice to her for not filing tax returns after 2015.
The attorney general said that the record of her tax returns had been sent to Karachi and she was also informed about the FBR report.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked the attorney general when he would commence his arguments.
The attorney general requested the court to grant him time to prepare the case.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked who gave the authority to the Asset Recovery Unit to inquire against the apex court judge. He asked under what law government officials made the reference public.
The case was then adjourned for two weeks.
