The “Sar tan se juda” mob comprising thousands is protesting in Pakistan against Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. Isa, who was appointed the Chief Justice of Pakistan in November last year has been facing death threats and protests since February this year after he ordered the release of a Ahmadiyya man Mubarak Sani. On the 29th of May, a three-judge bench including Chief Justice Isa, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan reserved its decision.
The fresh protests erupted after the court on 24th July accepted the Punjab government’s plea alongside those of several Islamist organisations seeking a review of its February ruling and said that the right to profess religion and religious freedom, as ensured by the Constitution, is subject to law, morality and public order. A hearing on these pleas will be held on 22nd August.
Why are the Islamic mobs demanding the resignation of the Chief Justice?
The protesting Islamists are demanding CJP Faez Isa’s resignation. On 19th August, a large number of protesters from various Islamist groups breached Islamabad’s highly secured, Red Zone storming the Supreme Court entrance gates to protest the Pakistan apex court verdict in the Mubarak Sani case.In the February ruling, Justice Isa granted bail to Ahmadiyya man Mubarak Ahmad Sani who was accused of blasphemy in 2019 over distributing pamphlets promoting his religious beliefs. Sani was convicted under the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) (Amendment) Act, 2021, however, the 3-judge bench led by Justice Isa noted that Sani was charged for an offence not criminalised until 2021. Consequently, the top court granted bail to Sani and ordered his immediate release. Soon after, the TLP and other Islamists launched a hate campaign against Qazi Faez Isa. In Peshawar, around 3000 people blocked the roads in February and raised slogans like “Death to Qadianis” etc. The agitation of Islamists compelled the Supreme Court to issue a statement ‘defending’ its decision in the Mubarak Sani case.
