What Happened: Justice Mansoor Ali Shah skipped CJP Qazi Faez Isa’s farewell, citing concerns over Isa’s perceived failure to defend judicial independence.
What you need to know: Supreme Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah chose not to attend the full court reference held in honor of outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, citing “worrying reasons.” Justice Shah’s letter to the Registrar’s Office explained his concerns, saying he previously skipped former CJP Saqib Nisar’s reference due to what he saw as Nisar’s overreach beyond constitutional limits. Justice Shah expressed similar reservations about Justice Isa, asserting that the CJP had failed to actively defend judicial independence.
What more: According to Justice Shah, Chief Justice Isa appeared indifferent to external pressures on the judiciary, likening his behavior to an “ostrich with its head in the sand.” Shah criticized Isa’s alleged lack of courage and moral resolve to uphold the judiciary’s independence, asserting that Isa had “ceded ground” to those trying to undermine the courts for personal gain. Shah concluded that this complacency, in his view, compromised the judiciary’s foundation and weakened the rule of law.
Also: The full court reference saw speeches from Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, senior lawyer Farooq H. Naek, and Justice Yahya Afridi, who praised Isa’s contributions. However, six Supreme Court judges, including Justice Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Malik Shehzad, chose to skip the event.