Presidential references: SJC unlikely to meet before Eid

CJP is scheduled to attend judicial conference in Russia from July 30 to Aug 4

ISLAMABAD: It appears that the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) will not be able to hold a meeting on the presidential references against the superior court judges before Eidul Azha, which is falling on August 12.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa, head of the five-judge SJC, will be travelling to Russia to attend a judicial conference from July 30 to August 4.

Another member of the council, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, would also not be available at the Islamabad registry till August 9.
If the council fails to issue a judgement on the reference within the month of August, it will have to be reconstituted due to the retirement of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed that month. This may cause the proceedings to take longer time.

According to sources, the fourth SJC meeting seems impossible before Eidul Azha.

In its meeting on July 12, the SJC had sought a reply from Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice KK Agha under Clause 9(1) of SJC rules within 14 days.

The meeting of the council would be convened after replies from the judges were received.

Sources said the show-cause notices issued to Justice Isa were received on July 17 and he had been asked to submit his reply within 14 days.

According to these notices, Justice Qazi would have to submit his reply by August 31.

Sources said Justice Isa was in contact with senior lawyers regarding the preparation of the reply. However, he had not made a final decision to hire a lawyer to represent him before the SJC in the references.

Supreme Court judge and the third member of the council Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed was retiring on August 27 and he would be replaced by the next most senior judge, Musheer Alam.