Justice Isa claims ‘Justice Asif Saeed Khosa stabbed me in the back,’

Justice Isa made the comments during a hearing of the review petitions filed against June 19, 2020, apex court judgment about the presidential reference against him. Justice Umar Ata Bandial presided over the 10-judge SC bench which conducted the hearing. “Former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa stabbed me in the back without taking note of my stance,” Justice Isa remarked. He also said that retired Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed had been his friend and “I was saddened at his decision. he’s the government’s favorite personality today.”

“The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has murdered justice,” Justice Isa said, adding that President Dr. Arif Alvi “did not bother” to reply to 3 letters of his which he hadn’t even received a file of the presidential reference filed against him.

He said notwithstanding that, noise and voices against him had started on the media, and “fifth-generation warfare” was initiated against him and his family.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar observed that the 2 judges were retired and asked Justice Isa to refrain from “making accusations” against them, while Justice Maqbool Baqar asked him to present his arguments within the case.

“Is Faez Isa not a judge of this court? Are the names of [Justice] Azmat Saeed and [Justice] Asif Saeed Khosa too sacred?” Justice Isa asked in response.

Justice Isa’s wife, Sarina Isa, had said during a letter to the president in November that the reference against Justice Isa was shown to her husband by retired Justice Khosa before forwarding it to the SJC. “My husband told Justice Khosa that the properties weren’t his and he had no concern with them,” the letter had said.

According to the letter, Justice Khosa had observed, “How then is that the reference is maintainable?”, on the other hand, “something changed” and he decided to convene the SJC, allegedly without taking Justice Isa into confidence.

It said Justice Khosa had repeatedly sent for then-attorney general (AG) Anwar Mansoor Khan, who, after the reference was filed, allegedly asked Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Interior and Accountability Shahzad Akbar to supply him Sarina’s tax returns.

“The AG and workers of an organization joined hands and Justice Khosa obliged them by asking for the cash trail and therefore the source of funds for the acquisition of the London properties,” the letter stated.

Likewise, Sarina had said in her letter, Justice Azmat Saeed had heard another reference against Justice Isa six working days before his retirement, confident that it might conclude before he retired.