Scale of justice. PHOTO: REUTERS
In a statement issued on Tuesday, bar member Javed Saleem Shorish said the government should refrain from sending such references, requesting to withdraw the one against Justice Isa.
“The reference is a pressure tactic against the honorable judge,” said Shorish. “Such internal conspiracies have a strong effect [on the country].
"We will participate in the Pakistan Bar Council meetings on June 8 and 9, where we will prepare a plan of action as no one can be allowed to undermine the independence of the judiciary.”
Shorish urged the lawyers’ community to try and curb steps being taken against the honorable judge.
Vice Chairman Haroon Rasheed, Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Raja Inam Amin Minhas, District Bar Association of Islamabad President Chaudhry Khanzada and General Secretary Umair Baloch attended the meeting.
On Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed to uphold the rule of law and implementation of it in the matter of references against the judges.
“No one is above the law as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power on the election slogan of ‘not two, but one Pakistan’,” said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan while quoting the prime minister as saying during the cabinet meeting.
Talking to the media post-cabinet meeting, Firdous said the law minister briefed the cabinet about the reasons behind filing references against the higher court judges.
The cabinet members were of the view that if any citizen in an institution violated the Constitution, the law would take its course, said the special assistant.
Separately on Monday, Justice Isa once again sent a letter to President Arif Alvi, requesting him to provide a copy of the reference filed against him.
In the letter, Justice Isa claimed that his children and spouse, who own three properties in the United Kingdom, were not his dependents.
Regarding the allegation about violating Section 116 (1)(b) of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, Justice Isa said he had not received any notice from the tax authority.
“Secondly, my children are not minors nor have they been so for quite a while. Thirdly, neither my spouse nor my children are my dependents. Fourthly, Section 116 (1) (b) of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 is not penal provision,” stated the letter written by Justice Isa.
The judge told the president that he had been maliciously maligned by half-truth by the members of the government, which was completely distressing for his family and himself.
The government sleuths surely knew that after completing their education, both my children legally worked in London. The details of properties disseminated by the members of the government were those in which they lived with their spouses.
“The properties are owned by those in whose names they stand. No attempt was made to conceal their ownership, neither were they held under a trust nor a special purpose or offshore company,” stated the five-page letter.
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