Islamabad: In a formal ceremony at the Presidential House in Islamabad, Justice Qazi Faez Isa took the oath of office as the 29th Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). President Dr. Arif Alvi administered the oath in the presence of Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.

Accompanied by his wife, Sarina Isa, Justice Isa's appointment was officially announced. He is set to hold the position of CJP for a term of 13 months, concluding on October 25, 2024. Notably, Justice Isa is the second CJP to originate from Balochistan after Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Justice Isa has gained widespread recognition for his oversight of significant cases, including the Memogate Commission, the Quetta Tragedy Inquiry Commission, and the Faizabad Dharna Decision.

The inauguration ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran.

A Brief Profile of Justice Isa

Born on October 26, 1959, in Quetta, Justice Isa comes from a lineage deeply involved in the struggle for the creation of Pakistan. His father, Qazi Muhammad Isa, was a prominent figure in the Pakistan Movement and a close associate of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Justice Isa's early education took place in Quetta, followed by A and O levels at Karachi Grammar School. He pursued his legal studies in London, successfully completing the bar professional examination.

Starting his legal career in 1985 as an advocate in the Balochistan High Court, he ascended to become an advocate of the Supreme Court in 1998. For over 27 years, he practiced law in the Balochistan High Court and the Supreme Court before being appointed as the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court in 2009.

His tenure as the chief justice of the high court extended from 2009 to 2014, after which he was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2014.

During the state of emergency declared in the country on November 3, 2007, Justice Isa made a principled decision not to appear before judges whom he believed had violated their oath. Subsequently, the judges of the Balochistan High Court resigned, paving the way for Justice Isa to assume the position of judge and later Chief Justice of the high court on August 5, 2009. He took the oath as a Supreme Court justice on September 5, 2014.

Justice Isa recently drew attention for his protest against the non-implementation of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act, established during the Shahbaz Sharif era. In a display of dissent, he abstained from hearing cases for the past five months and opted to work within his chambers instead.