Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Supreme Court recently abstained from attending the farewell reference for outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, citing concerns over Isa’s perceived shortcomings in defending judicial independence. In a letter to the Registrar’s Office, Justice Shah outlined his reasons, comparing Isa’s approach to that of former CJP Saqib Nisar, whom he previously criticized for overstepping constitutional boundaries.
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Justice Shah accused Chief Justice Isa of lacking the moral resolve to shield the judiciary from external influences, saying Isa seemed indifferent to pressures that threatened judicial autonomy. Shah noted that Isa’s inaction had weakened the judiciary’s foundation, describing his approach as akin to an “ostrich with its head in the sand.”
The farewell event featured speeches lauding Isa’s contributions, but six Supreme Court judges, including Justices Munib Akhtar, Ayesha Malik, and Athar Minallah, also opted to stay away from the ceremony.
