New Pak Chief Justice Isa sworn in amid challenges – Times of India – Lifotravel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath of office to Qazi Faez Isa on Sunday as the nation’s 29th Chief Justice at a ceremony attended by top government and military officials, including caretaker PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Army chief Gen Asim Munir.
Chief Justice Isa’s ascension followed a controversial period where he faced allegations of misconduct and non-disclosure of foreign assets, particularly his family’s properties in the UK, in 2019.
Despite being appointed as the top court’s judge in 2014, he had not been assigned any constitutional cases for the past three years due to a presidential reference filed against him, widely seen as an attempt to silence him following his verdict in the Faizabad dharna case — a military-backed, 20-day anti-government sit-in organised by the right-wing Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in 2017.
His tenure as Chief Justice is set to be brief, as he is scheduled to retire on October 25, 2024.
One of the most significant challenges for Chief Justice Isa during his 13-month tenure is expected to be the controversy surrounding general elections, particularly the requirement for them to be held within 90 days of the dissolution of national and provincial assemblies, which may come before the Supreme Court.
Maintaining a working relationship with the executive is crucial. President Alvi has sought the SC’s guidance on holding general elections on the same day.
Also, Chief Justice Isa faces the daunting task of unifying the SC and restoring its credibility. The SC has faced criticism for the perceived formation of benches with like-minded judges to influence constitutional matters.
On his first day in office, he will grapple with the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, a bill that mandates the formation of benches for constitutional matters of public importance by a committee of three senior judges. The enforcement of this law had been suspended in April this year by an eight-judge bench headed by outgoing Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
The restoration of corruption cases against public office holders by his predecessor on the eve of retirement adds another layer of complexity to his role as Chief Justice, against the backdrop of heightened political polarisation in the country.
The pending hearing on the trial of civilians by military courts presents another major challenge for Chief Justice Isa, who had previously expressed dissenting views on Army courts in 2015. He emphasised the importance of anti-terrorism laws to ensure the conviction of terrorists.
Addressing the staggering backlog of over 56,000 cases in the judicial system will require careful attention.