Full Court Reference Scheduled for Outgoing Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa on October 25

ISLAMABAD: A full court reference to bid farewell to the outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has been scheduled for October 25. This was confirmed in an official letter from Supreme Court Registrar Jazeela Aslam to the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Shahzad Shaukat.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the senior puisne judge, is set to succeed Justice Isa as the country’s next Chief Justice.

The full court reference is a customary tradition held to honor the outgoing chief justice for his service to the judiciary. The confirmation of this event comes amid weeks of political uncertainty and speculation regarding an extension of Justice Isa’s tenure through proposed judicial reforms. These rumours gained traction after reports suggested that the ruling coalition was considering judiciary-centric legislation to extend the chief justice’s term.

However, the government’s attempt to introduce the amendments in parliament stalled after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman refused to support the judicial package. As a result, the government lacked the necessary votes — 13 short in the National Assembly and nine short in the Senate — for passing the legislation, which requires a two-thirds majority in both houses.

In response to the speculations, Chief Justice Isa publicly clarified that he would not accept any “individual-specific” proposals regarding an extension of his tenure. He reiterated this position last month when speaking informally to journalists after a judicial event. His secretary, Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, later issued a statement clarifying that the conversation had been misinterpreted in the media. According to the statement, Justice Isa had told the law minister that he would not accept the proposed amendments if they were designed to benefit him personally.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s tenure as Chief Justice has been marked by significant decisions and notable moments, and the upcoming full court reference will formally mark the end of his time as the head of Pakistan’s judiciary.