LAHORE: The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) on Tuesday responded to an open letter of Sarina Isa, the wife of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, saying the lawyers’ association truly appreciated her struggle and the way she argued her case before the Supreme Court.

“Thank you very much for expressing your concerns pertaining to a statement issued by the executive committee of Lahore Bar Association demanding the accountability of the judges and generals,” said LBA President Malik Sarood Ahmed in the reply.

He said it was his utmost duty to clarify the misunderstanding created by the statement. He said the LBA always took stand for the rule of law and had been struggling for the independence of the judiciary, the supremacy of the constitution and the protection of fundamental rights of every individual.

Sarina in open letter to prime minister slams eight notices sent to her on her father’s death anniversary

He said as members of the legal fraternity, the lawyers firmly believed that no person was above the law. “When we talk about the accountability of any individual or organ of state, it does not mean to point out anyone in the name of accountability for the satisfaction of the ulterior motives of an individual or organ,” the reply said.

It maintained, “The demand for accountability across the board does not mean that we have approved, in any manner, the mala fide filing of reference against lordship Mr Justice Qazi Faiz Isa.”

Moreover, it said, under the garb of accountability, no organ of the state could be given a licence to start collecting evidence maliciously and malafidely to malign honorable judges.

The LBA president clarified that the resolution was never meant to specify or pinpoint any person rather it was meant to hold all those accountable who had blatantly and illegally abrogated the Constitution throughout the history of Pakistan. He said the lawyers never endorsed that the law enforcing agencies should malign the respectable judges and their families.

“We truly appreciate your struggle, the way you argued your case before the honorable Supreme Court and the way you stood firm beside your husband are indeed commendable,” Mr Ahmad said in the reply.

“We deeply feel the magnitude of the agony faced by you, his Lordship Mr Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, and the rest of the family members during the entire proceedings emanating from the baseless reference initiated by the Federal Law Minister and his team,” he added.

The LBA president hoped that the stance and earlier statement of the executive committee was clear to Ms Isa and there was no ambiguity left behind.

“Lastly, I draw your kind attention to the resolution already passed by the Pakistan Bar Council as our apex body and we shall stand by all those resolutions in their true letter and spirit,” the reply concludes.

Open letter

Meanwhile, Ms Isa wrote another open letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan saying June 25, 2021 was the first death anniversary of her father and on this day, she received eight notices from his government.

She said the notices said something had been or was to be filed in the Supreme Court in her case but she had not provided the copies of what this was. She said: “A year earlier on June 25, 2020, FBR sub-serving PTI’s Mirza Shahzad Akbar, impudently alleged that I refused to receive its notice, that is, on the very day my father had breathed his last. I was not allowed to grieve my father’s passing because the FBR sent me nine notices and I replied within the very limited time provided to me and also personally attended the offices of FBR.”

Ms Isa asked the prime minister to tell her the purpose of sending her eight notices when what was filed (or was to be filed) was kept secret from her.

She said an order was passed against her (without issuing her notice or hearing her), she sought its review and without a lawyer filed a review application within the prescribed 30 days.

“However, I have learnt from the press that the registrar (a government servant on deputation) extended the 30-days’ prescribed time limit for filing,” she said, adding that the extension of time was “fully understandable because Farogh Naseem was a very busy man, part-time lawyer, part-time law minister and full-time flatterer of the Nelson Mandela fame”.

At the end of the letter, Ms Isa offered PM Khan to come on live television to face her if he was still not satisfied with regard to her London properties and how they were bought.

“I will show the world my earnings, savings, money trail and taxes paid by me and expect that you will do the same,” the letter concludes.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2021