Judiciary must ensure no state institution transgresses its jurisdiction: Justice Isa

The Supreme Court judge addresses event in Karachi

Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa, against whom proceedings of misconduct are under way, has said that the country’s national integrity can only be ensured by following democratic norms, and it is the duty of judiciary to ensure state institutions as well as individuals do not transgress their jurisdiction.

“Quaid-e-Azam envisioned Pakistan as a democratic country…history stands witness that countries are destablised or disintegrated whenever institutions cross their limits,” Justice Isa said while addressing a ceremony at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi on Saturday.

Justice Isa is accused of concealing assets of his family members.

Citing an example of institutional transgression, Justice Isa said the government lost Rs100 billion following the Supreme Court verdict by former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar under which all taxes on the mobile phone prepaid cards were suspended.

“The judiciary later realised that it was not its job to interfere in the matters of taxation but the money lost cannot be recovered,” he said.

In the absence of democratic rule the country was split into two in 1971, he said, referring to the fall of Dhaka in 1971 when eastern part of the country was disintegrated and became Bangladesh.