The government of Pakistan filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Saturday to withdraw the curative review petition against Justice Qazi Faiz Isa.
In its petition, the government said it wanted to withdraw the appeal filed against the country’s top court’s decision.
“The government does not wish to pursue this case,” the petition said, seeking withdrawal of the case considering the exigencies of justice.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the government’s decision to nullify the review against Justice Isa two days ago, calling it a state vendetta by the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government.
“On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the curative review petition against the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faiz Isa,” the prime minister tweeted.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said the remedial review was based on an ill will to “harass and intimidate” Justice Isa at the “insight” of his predecessor (Imran Khan).
On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The Curative Review was based on ill-will & meant to harass & intimidate the honourable Judge at the behest of Imran Niazi.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 30, 2023
In a separate statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, it has been said that the Cabinet meeting presided over by the Prime Minister has approved the withdrawal of the reference. It further said that Prime Minister Nazir Tarar has been instructed by the Prime Minister to withdraw the curative petition.
The federal cabinet had approved the withdrawal of the curative review petition in July last year.
In 2021, the Imran Khan-led government filed a curative review petition against the majority order of Justice Qazi Faiz Isa in the review petitions granted on 26 April that year.
However, the Supreme Court registrar returned the instant petition after objecting to it, saying that once a revision petition is decided, it cannot be revised.
