Justice Qazi Faez Isa

Justice Qazi Faez Isa was born on October 26, 1959 in Quetta. Belonging to a distinguished family from Pishin, he is the son of the late Qazi Mohammad Isa, who was in the forefront of the Pakistan Movement, and grandson of Qazi Jalaluddin, the Prime Minister of Kalat State, prior to Independence. His mother, Begum Saida Isa, was a dedicated social worker and worked in an honorary capacity on the Boards of hospitals and other charitable organizations. He is married with two grown up children.

Chief Justice Isa completed his primary and secondary education in Quetta, did his "0" and "A" levels from Karachi Grammar School and went on to do B.A. (Honours) in Law, from London. He completed his Bar Professional Examination from the Inns of Court School of Law, London, and was called to the Bar of England and Wales (Middle Temple, 1982). He enrolled as an Advocate of the Balochistan High Court on January 30, 1985 and an Advocate Supreme Court from Balochistan on March 21, 1998.

Chief Justice Isa practiced law for over 27 years before all the High Courts of Pakistan, the Federal Shariat Court, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and was a member of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association, Sindh High Court Bar Association and Life Member of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. Before his elevation he was a senior partner and head of litigation in one of Pakistan's leading law firms. From time to time he was called upon by the High Courts and the Supreme Court as amicus curiae, and rendered assistance in certain complicated cases. He has also conducted international arbitrations. Innumerable cases, in which he appeared as Counsel, have been reported in law journals.

His interest in environment and public interest litigation resulted in him successfully assailing the special laws applicable in Balochistan (Ordinance I & II of 1968) on behalf of the Balochistan Bar Association (PLD 1991 Quetta 7). He also filed a petition in the Balochistan High Court with regard to the violation of Quetta Building Code, which resulted in the High Court directing the implementation of the Code to ensure against death and destruction in times of earthquake (PLD 1997 Quetta 1).

As consultant on a World Bank project he prepared a, "Report on the Legal Aspects of Acquisition of Land for the Proposed Karachi Mass Transit Project". He was the legal expert on the "Promotion of Private Sector Participation in Highway Financing, Construction and Operation", and was the legal and environment consultant with regard to a study on "Balochistan Groundwater Resources Reassessment"; sponsored by the Asian Development Bank. He was also part of the consortium engaged by the World Bank to provide services in respect of "Technical Assistance for the Preparation and Implementation of Private Sector Participation in the Karachi Water Supply and Sewerage Sector".

He served in an honorary capacity as a Director on the Board of Directors of one of the leading banks in Pakistan, member of the Policy Board of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and as member of the Quaid Mazar Management Board.

As professor of law he taught 'Constitution of Pakistan and the Constitutional History of the Sub Continent' at Islamia Law College, University of Karachi (till 1994). He jointly wrote and compiled a book on 'Mass Media Laws and Regulations in Pakistan' published by the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre, Singapore, which was the first book on the subject. He wrote a booklet entitled, 'Baluchistan, Case and Demand' (published by PILDAT, 2007). He has also written extensively on law, environment, Islam, heritage, Balochistan and the Constitution, and his articles have been published in Pakistan's leading English newspaper.

As counsel he did not appear before judges who had violated their oath in the aftermath of the proclamation of emergency of November 3, 2007. After the epic Judgment of the honourable Supreme Court dated July 31, 2009, that declared the action of November 3, 2007 unconstitutional and illegal, all the then judges of the Balochistan High Court tendered their resignations. Under such circumstances Justice Qazi Faez Isa was called upon to serve the Province of Balochistan and was directly elevated to the position of Chief Justice of Balochistan on August 5, 2009.

The Government of Pakistan constituted a Commission of Inquiry to enquire about an alleged plot to assassinate the then Chief of the Lahore High Court, Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, vide notification dated October 1, 2010. Chief Justice Isa served as the Chairman of Commission, which included judges from the Lahore and Peshawar High Courts. The report of the Commission was submitted to the government.

The honourable Supreme Court constituted a three member Commission on December 30, 2011 to probe into the origin, authenticity and purpose of creating/drafting a memorandum that was delivered to the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. The commission comprised of Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman and Justice Qazi Faez Isa, respectively the Chief Justices of the Sindh, Islamabad and Balochistan High Courts. Chief Justice Isa was appointed as the Chairman of the Commission, which submitted its report to the honourable Supreme Court in May 2012.

Chief Justice Isa serves as a member of the Pakistan Law and Justice Commission, the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee and the Federal Judicial Academy. In his capacity as the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court he is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Balochistan Judicial Academy. As the senior most Chief Justice of a High Court Chief Justice Isa is a member of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa was elevated to The Supreme Court of Pakistan as Judge on September 5, 2014.