Federal Law minister Farogh Naseem Monday presented his resignation to the government so that he could become a counsel of federal government in Justice Qazi Faez Isa case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

A 10-member judge bench, led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, will resume hearing the case on June 2 that was earlier scheduled to be taken up on March 30. The apex court had postponed the hearing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Farogh Naseem gave resignation so he could present the federal government in the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. 

Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid JAed had earlier refused to represent the government in the said case.

However, Qazi Faez Isa on Friday questioned the eligibility of Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar's appointment as the head of the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) and for public office.

Justice Isa has challenged the presidential reference filed against him in the Supreme Judicial Council.

It is pertinent to note that the law minister Farogh Naseem had also resigned on November 2019 in a case pertaining to the Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa extension case.

Qazi Faez Isa Case

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insad led federal government on May 23, 2019 moved the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Isa and Sindh High Court judge K K Agha over non-disclosure of their families foreign assets in their wealth statements.

However, the lawyer’s fraternity described the reference as an attack on independent judges.

In October last year, a 10-member full court led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial resumed hearing of case while on the request of the Justice Isa, two SC judges namely Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood recused themselves from hearing his case.

Earlier, Former Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan had tendered his resignation apparently over a statement, he made in the Supreme Court on the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case. The new Attorney General also rescued himself in presenting the federal government in the Qazi Esa case.

As per the media reports, on the last date of hearing, Justice Umar Ata Bandial had told the new AGP that the court expected that he would apply ‘his mind to the case’.

It is pertinent to note that the law minister Farogh Naseem had also resigned on November 2019 in a case pertaining to the Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa extension case.

Who is Justice Qazi Faez Isa?

Justice Qazi Faez Isa has given judgments to some of the key judgments in Pakistan's judicial Medscape and his most significant judgments were in the Memogate commission in 2012, Quetta massacre inquiry commission in 2016 and  'Faizabad sit-in' judgement in 2019.