ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court senior judge Qazi Faez Isa has demanded that the establishment division to immediately remove apex court registrar Ishrat Ali for issuing a circular that went against his judicial order regarding suo motu proceedings.
The top court had directed the postponement of suo motu cases until amendments were made in the SC Rules 1980 concerning the chief justice’s discretionary powers to form benches, in a judgement authored by Justice Isa, which was disregarded on Friday. The circular, issued by the Supreme Court Registrar, noted that the observations made by the majority judgement exceeded the matter before the court and “invoked its suo motu jurisdiction.” The order was found to be in violation of the rules established by a five-member judgement.
In response to the circular, Justice Isa requested that Ishrat Ali be recalled to prevent further damage to the reputation and integrity of the Supreme Court. Justice Isa was shocked to receive the circular, which he stated “seeks to negate, undo, disobey, and violate” the order issued by the three-member special SC bench with a two-to-one majority.
He further observed that the registrar did not have the authority to undo a judicial order, and the chief justice could not issue administrative directions in this regard. Justice Isa also suggested that disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against Ali for allegedly violating the Constitution of Pakistan and the order of the Supreme Court dated 29 March 2023 passed in Suo Motu Case No. 4 of 2022.
