The federal cabinet has formed a ministerial committee to fix the responsibility and take action against the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case.
The committee would fix responsibility on the ARU and FBR heads and officials and present its recommendations in two weeks.
Law and justice minister has been nominated as the convener whereas finance minister, poverty alleviation and social safety minister, communications minister, IT and telecom minister, federal education and professional training minister, defence production minister, science and technology minister, narcotics control minister and adviser to the prime minister on Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan have been included in the committee.
The cabinet members had expressed serious concern over the probe by the ARU demanding the ARU officials and then advisor on accountability Shahzad Akbar to be held accountable.
President Arif Alvi had approved a reference against Justice Faez Isa under Article 209-5 for the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on May 20, 2019. However on June 19, 2020 the apex court had declared the reference to be of no legal effect and had held the proceedings before SJC stood abated.
The order through a majority judgment, however, had directed the Inland Revenue authorities to submit the report on matter of properties of the judge’s spouse and children. After which a review petition before the Supreme Court was filed by Justice Isa and others.
The court had recalled the referral of matter to the FBR on April 26, 2021.
