‘It’s incorrect to say I’m a sore loser in Justice Isa case’: ex-law minister

ISLAMABAD: Former law minister Dr Farogh Naseem Wednesday said it is totally incorrect to say he was a “sore loser” in Justice Qazi Faez Isa case.

Naseem had tendered his resignation as the Federal Minister for Law and Justice and thereafter made an application to the Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on 4.4.2022 seeking restoration of his practicing licence. In the application he made it clear that he incurs no disqualification under the law and was entitled to an immediate restoration of his practicing licence.

The ex-law minister on Wednesday issued a statement regarding Justice Faez’s letter to the PBC, wherein, he disassociated himself to be part of the enrolment committee regarding the restoration of Naseem’s practicing licence.

In his letter, Justice Isa had referred to the presidential reference and consequent litigation initiated by him in the Supreme Court and said that Naseem “demonstrated his unwillingness to accept the result of the same, and that he is a sore loser”.

The statement issued by Naseem’s office stated; “With the highest respect, the contents of the written statement or letter of Justice Isa’s Senior Private Secretary dated 25.2.2022 (hereafter: “Reply”), in response to Dr Farogh Naseem’s petition to the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) are denied and the contents of the petition are reiterated.”

“In particular, with regard to the contents of para 8 of the Reply, it is stated that Dr Farogh Naseem is on record to have said that Justice Isa’s litigation was not about winning or losing. It is the people of Pakistan who may have won or lost. Therefore, to say that Dr Naseem is a “sore loser,” is totally incorrect,” said the statement.

The statement also stated that in keeping with the law and the Constitution that Justice Isa “recused himself, albeit belatedly”. “I never held any grudge against Justice Isa and his family. However, Dr Naseem’s licence restoration taking more than 20 days, ipso facto speaks volumes,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022