Wife willing to testify before court, Justice Isa tells SC

[ghazi52]

Wife willing to testify before court, Justice Isa tells SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) resumed hearing the government’s arguments in the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday, when the senior judge appeared in person with a message from his wife to the court.

During the hearing, Justice Isa sought permission to speak as Barrister Farogh Naseem presented his arguments. Justice Umar Ata Bandial, the presiding judge, asked him to wait and allowed him to speak after the government’s counsel completed his arguments.

He told the court that his wife wants to reveal the details of her London properties via video-link to the bench, “I request the court to please allow her to do so,” he said.

Justice Bandial said that it would be better if the judge’s wife submits her written reply first, to which Justice Isa said that she is not in a position to submit a written response.

“She does not even want a lawyer to represent her and is willing to answer all the court’s questions herself,” he said, adding that she does not want to record her statement with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) because of the way its officials had treated her.

“My wife had to face a lot because of this reference,” he further said.

The senior judge told the court that she had told him that if he she reveals her account details then it is possible that the government could transfer money into it and file new references against her.

“If the court thinks that I am incompetent to be a judge then it should give its verdict today,” he added.

Justice Bandial said that the court needs time to consider her request. “If she records her statement then it would make the entire process easier,” he said, adding that the bench would issue an appropriate order on it.

Justice Isa said that he did not want to go into what happened to him and his family, but it was alleged that the fellow judges wanted to save him.

He said that according to the former attorney general, other judges helped him in preparing the petition. He pleaded the court to start contempt of court proceedings against the former attorney general.

He complained that news started circulating in media against him even before the reference. He was not even given a copy of the reference, he added.

The court took a short break to consider the petition of Justice Isa.

After the break, Justice Bandial said that the statement of the judge’s wife would be very important but the bench would ask her to file a reply in writing. After receiving her reply, the case would be fixed for hearing, he said assuring that justice would be done.

Addressing Justice Isa, he said that the bench would consider his wife’s request to present her verbal statement.

Earlier, the government’s counsel resumed his arguments and informed the court about the government’s position regarding sending the case of Justice Isa’s wife to the FBR.

He said that his client had no objection over referring the matter to the FBR, which should decide the case in two months.

The government’s counsel said that Justice Isa had alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan owned properties in London. The prime minister had stated that he would resign if it was proved that any of those properties were owned by him, and that property should be confiscated and its sale proceeds should be deposited in the national treasury, he added.

Shahzad Akbar and Firdous Ashiq Awan also have no property abroad, he further.

Justice Maqbool Baqar said that the judge did not say that the properties belonged to the prime minister as he had mentioned a website in his reply.

“We have not received any petition yesterday. It is unfortunate that both the parties are giving priority to the media over the court. We have not reviewed this reply,” Justice Bandial said.

Later the case was adjourned till Thursday.

It is worth mentioning here that PTI leader Firdous Ashiq Awan in a Tweet on Wednesday stated that the news of her having ownership of properties in England is “baseless and opposed to facts”.

On Monday, Barrister Naseem told the court that the government was ready to face the consequences if the presidential reference was quashed.

Justice Isa is accused of misconduct over failure to declare his wife and children’s UK properties. According to the judge, his wife and children have the properties in their own names.

On June 2, 2019, the federal government confirmed that a presidential reference had been filed in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against the judge for owing foreign assets.

According to a statement issued by the Law and Justice Ministry and the Assets Recovery Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office, the unit had received a complaint with respect to the foreign properties of three judges and once it receives a complaint with regard to the existence of foreign properties of Pakistanis, it is “duty bound to take appropriate action”.

Justice Isa, who is in line to become the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), has accused the federal government of spying on his to discover his family’s properties.

On Tuesday, in a statement submitted before the court, the senior judge said that the website the government says it used to get information of his family’s properties needs to be paid if someone requires additional information apart from the number of properties owned by someone. He said that the government should provide the details about whose credit card and email address was used to get the details of properties owned by his family.

 

[ghazi52]

Dr.M.M.Khan - June 17, 2020 said:

Justice ISA is playing the victim card to the hilt. If his honourable wife is allowed video link facility it would open a pandoras box for the future. What is unique about the case that she cannot appear in person?. The allegations of her account being tempered are ridiculous. The trial is becoming unfortunately a Greek tragedy. “Caesra’ wife should be above suspician.

 

[Cash GK]

That means she refused to face FBR.. crooks

 

[ghazi52]

All the Justice system is crook, poor people are suffering.............. all drama for us.

 

[Yaseen1]

this case is lost due to govt incapability and mishandling of case as well as mqm lawyer farukh naseem who himself has soft stance for traitor like altaf and spoiled the case,when more corrupts who are accused of corruptions of billions are free then why we expect that this case with few million rupees accusations will be tried for punishment

 

[ghazi52]

Justic Isa's wife discloses sources of London property in SC hearing

ISLAMABAD/LONDON: Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s wife, Zarina Carrera Khoso, recorded her statement on Thursday before the Supreme Court on how the judge's family was able to purchase properties in the British capital.

A day earlier, Justice Isa had told the court that his spouse wished to explain about her properties and its sources via a video link as her father is a cancer patient and she should be given an opportunity to speak on the matter.

A 10-member full-court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial resumed hearing on a set of petitions challenging a presidential reference filed against the SC judge for allegedly not disclosing his foreign properties in his wealth returns.

Giving details about the sources of funds, she said: "Properties in Karachi were sold out and two bank accounts — one in British pounds and the other in US dollars — were opened in a private bank to transfer the money.

“From 2003-2013, a total of £700,000 was transferred through these two foreign accounts in the Standard Chartered Bank's Karachi branch,” she added.


Change in name and solicitor's advice

Khoso clarified that she was a Spanish citizen and that she had used her passport to purchase the properties in London. She added that when her husband was a lawyer, she would get a five-year visa.

However, the Pakistani authorities had issued a one-year visa after 2018 only to create hurdles.

Justice Isa's wife explained that since she was born in Spain and her father's and mother's names, respectively, were Khoso and Carrera, her name on her birth certificate and passport is Zarina Carrera Khoso.

After she got married to Justice Isa back in 1983, however, the Pakistani government registered her name on her CNIC as Zarina Isa.

In her statement, the judge's wife said her tax returns were filed after advice from Rehan Naqvi, her solicitor, and that she owned a house in Clifton, as well as a plot in Shah Latif Town. She has also received agricultural land from her father, which is now in her name.

Khoso said she was advised that according to the law, tax returns were not filed on agricultural land. All of her taxes were filed after consultations with Naqvi, she added, noting that the last tax return she had filed was over Rs7.6 million.


Justice Isa opposes sending matter to FBR

In a rare appearance before the bench, Justice Isa had opposed the court's suggestion the other day to the federal government to refer the matter of his family members's foreign assets to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), providing an opportunity to the spouse of the judge to explain about the sources for purchasing the London properties.

Justice Isa, while opposing the proposal of the apex court, had prayed for deciding the case on merit.

Justice Bandial had directed Munir A Malik — who was on video link from the Karachi registry — to ask the judge's spouse to submit her explanation, with all documentary evidence, in writing.

Malik had said he took the instant case not because it pertained to an apex court judge but to protect the integrity and independence of the judiciary. He submitted that it would be in the interest of justice that the instant case be decided on merit.

Justice Isa, however, had said the government had consented to the court’s proposal and he had to give his reply. He submitted that the counsel for the federation was repeatedly asking for the money trail. The judge said the council did not summon him for hearing him while the government submitted the replies very late.

He had prayed before the bench that his wife be given an opportunity to share details.

Justice Isa had contended that his spouse was not a lawyer and not in a position to submit a written response and, therefore, should be heard. She could reply to all the questions.

“Justice not only be done but seems to be done,” Justice Isa had submitted.

 

[ghazi52]

Justice Isa turns up at SC as wife’s emissary

June 18, 2020

• Minister-turned-lawyer agrees a reasonable explanation will end controversy
• Petitioner judge says FBR ridiculed his spouse on her visit to its office

ISLAMABAD: Attired in a grey suit, Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday wrote history when he entered the Courtroom No 1 as a messenger of his wife to seek an audience for her via video link and satisfy the Supreme Court’s 10-judge full court about the source of three-offshore properties in her and children’s name.

However, the bench reminded the petitioner judge that they had complete respect for him and it was not appropriate for him to appear when the message could have been conveyed through his counsel Muneer A. Malik, as the former might overcome with emotions.

When Justice Isa came, Dr Farogh Nasim, the counsel for the federal government, was occupying the rostrum to justify the filing of the presidential reference against Justice Isa.

Justice Isa’s appearance is being dissected by legal observers against the backdrop of Tuesday’s proposal by the Supreme Court that the government could pursue the reference before the Supreme Judicial Council after first exhausting tax proceedings at the Federal Board of Revenue.

The government side, which had taken a day to respond, acceded to the SC suggestion, as Dr Nasim explained that he met Prime Minister Imran Khan whohad no objection to the proposal provided the judge and his wife assured the tax commissioner of their cooperation.

The counsel said the prime minister also denied of having any properties in the UK and said he was ready to resign and the properties should be confiscated if proved that they belonged to him. Former PM’s aide Firdous Ashiq Awan took the same position, he said apparently in response to Justice Isa’s recent application about their undisclosed offshore properties along with those allegedly belonging to Assets Recovery Unity (ARU) chairman Shahzad Akbar.

Justice Bandial observed that both sides played to the galleries instead of showing patience. Sitting at the Karachi Registry of the Supreme Court, Mr Malik said he was reaching Islamabad on Thursday to re-consult his client.

The appearance of the judge, however, sparked a raging debate in the courtroom during a short break when the court retired for consultation on Justice Isa’s request seeking an audience for his wife via video link.

On Wednesday, Justice Isa began his assertion before the full court by stating that for the first time he understood the real meaning of the Quranic verse that persecution was worse than death, also beseeching the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings after the assertion made by former Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan that one of the lords on the bench assisted and drafted the petition.

Justice Isa said it was not because of the respect of any individual but for the respect of the institution that his wife wanted to share details of the properties not to anybody but to the court since the matter was in the public domain. So far, he said, the government had failed to answer why she had not been inquired about the properties when she was in Islamabad. Not even the Supreme Judicial Council called her, he added.

She had painfully suffered since her father was suffering from brain cancer yet she wanted to share details of the properties not with anybody else but with the court, because when she went to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) without any protocol or guard she was “ridiculed”, Justice Isa recalled.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who was heading the full court, described the offer as a big development, adding it was very noble and honourable of the wife to address the court but the court would respond after pondering over it.

Dr Nasim then said he had no personal animosity with the judge and his family and it would be the end of the matter if some reasonable explanation was given. He also claimed he had complete respect for Justice Isa’s wife and that he never intended to hurl insults at or mock the judge.

The court took a break for a few minutes and when reassembled said it had considered the request as it was a crucial evidence for the resolution of the controversy. The court then asked Justice Isa to request his wife to furnish a written application stating her position along with relevant documents. But Justice Isa contended that she wanted to address the court during which the court could ask thousands of questions about the properties. He insisted that justice not only must be done but it must also be seen to be done.

He said neither she was a lawyer or assisted by any counsel nor being a judge he could advise her. “I don’t know in what way she will write the application and if she attach something like a bank document etc, they will get hold of my account and may deposit five million pounds to accuse me of taking bribe and to make it the basis of a second reference,” Justice Isa feared.

The petitioner judge said they (the government) had the audacity to appear on TV screens on a daily basis, even the President holding the highest office arranged three TV interviews in the presidency, discussed the reference against him. Also Assets Recovery Unit (ARU) chairman Mirza Shahzad Akbar himself spoke about the reference while the former AG called the former law minister liar and vice versa. He said: “Farogh Nasim may continue with his puffing, but I am no hypocrite.”

Justice Bandial asked Justice Isa to take a seat and said that his wife’s convenience could not dictate the court.

The petitioner judge again emphasised that despite her statement, he would still press the petition, as he had heard the government side saying the “FBR did not take any action because they got scared”. Justice Isa said: “Tomorrow they will say that no one can go against the wife of the judge.”

“Don’t go on apprehensions,” Justice Bandial observed, adding that the court would like to inquire from his counsel Muneer A. Malik as the petitioner judge was emotionally involved in the matter.

At the conclusion of Wednesday’s proceedings, Mr Malik explained to the court that when he signed the case, it was not for an individual but for the independence of the judiciary as he believed that the paragon of the principles of the judiciary was stained. The last instructions from his client was that the case should be decided on merit, because the petitioner judge did not want to sit on the court with a sullied reputation, the counsel said, while regretting about the smear campaign against the judiciary.

He said he would come back to Islamabad on Thursday to re-consult his client. The court, however, said it would pass an order in this regard on Thursday.

Earlier during the hearing, Justice Maqbool Baqar regretted that we did not have a history to be proud of since it was a known fact how the executive had intervened to trample the constitution and paralyse institutions including the judiciary.

“Please let us make our effort because we do not want to be on the wrong side of history,” Justice Baqar observed. He also was critical about roping of a judge through mere roving inquiry.

Justice Bandial observed that to retain the confidence of the public and to maintain the majesty of the laws, this court could not allow anyone to challenge the integrity of the judge to bring the institution into disrepute.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2020

 

[BRAVO_]

as usual PTI govt file the case without proper home work ..they didt even bothered to checked with FBR and other govt instituations about the sources of remited amounts ...now eat it

 

[HAIDER]

Qazi sahib made few mistakes. His father was great supporter of Qaid e azam.
1. He gave full relief to Nawaz family in Hudabia paper mill.
2. Issue order to media for no coverage.
3.He passed a very aggressive ruling(a good judgement) in Khadem Hussain Rizvi dharna case. Also ask national security agencies to stay in there limits. Findings were very controversial. The point where some institutions feel scary moves in future.

 

[ghazi52]

Supreme Cout quashes presidential reference against Justice Faez Isa


ISLAMABAD: A presidential reference filed against Supreme Court judge, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, over alleged failure to disclose properties in London was quashed by the apex court on Friday.

The reference "is declared to be of no legal effect whatsoever and stands quashed, and in consequence thereof the proceedings pending in the Supreme Judicial Council against the Petitioner in CP 17/2019 (including the show-cause notice dated 17.07.2019 issued to him) stand abated", the court's short order read.

The apex court's 10-member, larger bench — headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justices Maqbool Baqar, Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Faisal Arab, Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Munib Akhtar, Sajjad Ali Shah, Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Yahya Afridi, and Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed — heard the case, reserving the verdict before it was announced after 4pm.

The case was wrapped up after Justice Isa's spouse provided the money trail pertaining to her foreign properties and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) provided its input on the matter.

The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), wherein the reference was filed, had earlier initiated proceedings against Justice Isa on allegations that he had purchased three properties in London in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015 but did not allegedly disclose them in wealth returns declared in Pakistan.

In his petition challenging the reference, Justice Isa had requested the apex court declare that the government's Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) — tasked to look into the properties — had no legal standing and, therefore, its actions with regard to the reference against him and his family were illegal.

Reference 'rendered baseless'
The petition had contended that no proper research was ever conducted and the property details gathered were simply the product of online surveillance.

Speaking to Geo News after the verdict was announced, former attorney general Irfan Qadir said mala fide intentions and misunderstanding were two different things.

"Mala fide intentions are made when there is substantial evidence but misunderstanding took place in this case because properties were not declared and some people were of the opinion that non-declaration of the wife’s assets was misconduct.

"After Justice Isa’s wife clarified in court that her husband had no link with the [London] properties, the reference was rendered baseless and which lead to its dismissal," said Qadir.

'The wrong bus'
The petitioner's lawyer, Munir A Malik, concluded his arguments in court by saying the federation "got on the wrong bus" in the case and urged for the dismissal of the reference against the judge.

Malik said a website had been used to search for properties in London. He told the court that if one wanted to search properties in London, they had to pay for the privilege.



He said the website sends a payment receipt to the relevant person who uses it to search for properties via email. He said British-Pakistani lawyer Zia ul Mustafa — who had searched for Justice Isa's alleged assets — had received three copies of the high commission's verified properties.







"Copies of politicians' properties searched were attached as well [in documents submitted]," he said. "If the government provides receipts as well then it will be revealed as to who searched for the properties."

Malik explained that if the ARU had conducted a search for the properties, then it should provide receipts. It seemed as if the unit had only facilitated the search, he added.

"The government only wants to remove the author of the Faizabad dharna case," noted Malik.

Justice Isa's wife submits money trail
Zarina Montserrat Khoso Carrera, the wife of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, had on Thursday given the money trail for purchasing three properties in UK, saying £700,000 were transferred from her personal account through a private bank in Karachi.

The 10-member full court headed by Justice Bandial had resumed the hearing in a set of petitions challenging the presidential reference filed against Justice Isa for allegedly not disclosing his foreign properties in his wealth returns.

Justice Isa's spouse had recorded her statement via video link before the court and submitted that details pertaining to her accounts were available with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).



The court, while expressing satisfaction over her statement, had asked her that in order to examine the matter on merit, she would have to approach the FBR or SJC and that a decision in that regard would be given by the tax authorities.

Justice Isa had informed the Supreme Court the other day that his wife was willing to explain before the apex court through video link about the three properties acquired in the UK.

Recording her statement, the judge's wife expressed gratitude to the apex court for allowing her the opportunity to explain.

"I am very much nervous as this is my first experience before the court, but I will try my best to follow your instructions," Zarina said, adding that it has been a critical time for her as her father was near to death these day.

She said she was married to Justice Qazi Faez Isa in the year 1982 and also showed her birth certificate and the old National Identity Card (NIC), saying her name was Zarina, adding that she did not know that she would buy properties in London after 21 years of marriage.

She submitted that she got her computerized identity card in the year 2003 and her name remained the same, adding that at that time her husband was not a judge. She said that she was entitled to Spanish passport, as her mother was Spanish and therefore she has a Spanish passport.

She said that when her visa expired, she applied for a fresh visa. When she got it, her husband was not a judge, but a lawyer. “So the allegation that I used the office of my husband for acquiring the visa was baseless,” Zarina Isa contended.

She stated that in the year 2020, she was granted visa only for one year and prior to that she was harassed and that’s why she was granted visa for a very limited period of time. She said that she bought the first property in the year 2004 in United Kingdom, adding that she was employed at an American School in Karachi and at that time, one Rehan Naqvi used to deal with her tax matters.

The spouse of Justice Isa showed the court the certificate issued by the tax authorities as she was filing her tax returns, adding that when her tax record was transferred from Karachi to Islamabad, she asked the FBR in that regard; however, she alleged that the FBR did not reply to her request.

She said that she had agricultural lands which were in Jaccobabad (Sindh) and Dera Murad Jamali (Balochistan) while her father used to look after the land while the government was well aware of all that.

She said that Rehan Naqvi had advised her to open foreign account, which she did and through that account, she transferred the money abroad for purchasing the properties. At this, she showed the court the record of her foreign currency account, saying she had to face great difficulties in seeking its details as, she added, the bank didn’t maintain 10-year old account.

The spouse of Justice Isa submitted that from 2003 to 2013, the whole amount was transferred from these accounts to London for purchasing these properties, adding that the money was transferred in her name and from her account as well.

She said that she bought one property for 236,000 sterling pounds, adding that she transferred 700,000 sterling pounds through a private bank for purchasing the properties. “All documents which I have shown are genuine and authentic and the London Bank Account is also in her name,” Zarina Isa added.

She said that another property was purchased in 2013 for 245,000 sterling pounds and in that flat, her son was living, while another property, which was in her and her daughter’s names was purchased for 270,000 sterling pounds. She said that now she was filing tax returns both in the UK and Pakistan, adding that she had already filed tax returns of London properties in the year 2018.

Meanwhile, Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked Mrs Isa that they had no jurisdiction to hear the matter on merit. However, he expressed satisfaction over her statement, and advised her that right now there were two relevant forums available to her: one was the FBR and the second was the SJC.

The judge advised her to present her all documentary proofs to those forums as those were competent to decide her case. “We felt that you have sufficient documents to present and I am sure that you will be heard properly; therefore, I wish you present these documents before the relevant forums,” Justice Bandial told the lady.

“Why I was not asked earlier and I waited for 13 months while my son was subjected to harassment in London,” Zarina Isa questioned. She said that she was not asking for any privilege, but she should be treated as an ordinary citizen in Pakistan.

Justice Bandial, however, said that she would be treated with respect and dignity, adding that she was a brave lady and hoped that she would be able to address her matter effectively.

“I must tell you one thing, we, as judges, are answerable for our actions in private and public life; therefore, we are much more accountable than other people, as we are holding other people accountable,” Bandial told Justice Isa's wife. “This not the trial of your husband and yours as well, but the trial of our institution,” Justice Bandial added.

When the spouse of Justice Isa continued, Justice Bandial called Munir A Malik, counsel for Justice Qazi Faez Isa to rostrum, who then asked Zarina to sign out. Justice Maqbool Baqar remarked that what was going on in the country in the name of accountability would also be looked into. He said destruction (of institutions) was under way in the country in the name of accountability and they would write (in the verdict) on it also.

Justice Baqar asked if the Supreme Justice Council (SJC) could review the performance of the president. To which, the federation’s lawyer, Farogh Naseem, said that it (Council) has the authority to review anyone’s performance.

Later, the court directed Barrister Farogh Naseem to submit before it in sealed envelop the record of 2018 tax returns, filed by Mrs Isa. Justice Umar Ata Bandial asked Farogh Naseem that the lady had also complained about the FBR attitude, to which the counsel for the federation submitted that if the complaint was proved true, it could be directly lodged with the prime minister.

Meanwhile, Farogh Naseem submitted before the court that Khalid Ranjha, Irfan Qadir, Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Aamir Rehman, and Sohail Mahmood, who were to represent president, prime minister, as well as other respondents, have adopted his arguments; hence they will not be arguing before the court. At this, the court adjourned the hearing for Friday (today) wherein Munir A Malik, counsel for Justice Qazi Faez Isa, will argue in rebuttal.

 

[ghazi52]

Justice Qazi Faez Isa's spouse files subtle elements of her property in FBR

July 09, 2020

Companion of Justice Qazi Faez Isa has recorded subtle elements of remote properties in Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) within the light of Preeminent Court (SC) 10-member seat choice.

According to points of interest of seaward properties recorded by her in FBR she had appeared her three London based properties in her final year assess return.

Cash was sent to remote nation legitimately to buy these properties.

The record recorded by companion of Justice Qazi Faez Isa in FBR contained points of interest of salary earned by her amid her work in Karachi American School, points of interest of property sold out in Karachi, record relating to property acquired in Karachi and charge paid on this property, subtle elements of bank accounts with respect to dollars, pounds sent overseas , points of interest of lease collected from London properties, subtle elements of agribusiness arrive talented by father and points of interest of horticulture arrive found in Dera Murad Jamali and Naseer Abad.

In the answer recorded by life partner of Equity Qazi Faez Isa in FBR she has taken the supplication that almost 700000 pounds were sent to remote nation through Standard Chartered Bank Account.

Her spouse has nothing to do with her property acquired in London.

The subtle elements of her all bank exchange is accessible with central bank.

 

[ghazi52]

Justice Isa’s wife submits London properties’ documents to FBR

ISLAMABAD: Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s wife submitted London properties' documents to the tax authorities on Thursday.

Giving details of money trail and other documents regarding her employment, London properties and income from inherited thousands of kanals of agriculture land, Mrs Isa remained for 45 minutes at Directorate of International Taxes AEOI Zone, Islamabad.

FBR’s Commissioner Inland Revenue Zulfiqar Ahmed, an IRS officer of BS-20, questioned Mrs Isa over her source of income while acquiring London properties. FBR top authorities on direction of Supreme Court tasked Mr Ahmed to probe this case.

Zarina Montessarat Carrera Khoso presented all the records of her properties to the tax officials and also explained how and when she had obtained the properties, according to sources.

The notices to the judge’s wife were sent last week by FBR authorities after receiving directions from the apex court. During the course of proceedings, Mrs Isa also clarified that she owned the properties and her husband Justice Qazi Faez Isa had no link with them. She bought one property for some £23,6000 in 2004, another for £270,000, which is under her and her daughter’s name, and the third one for £245,000 in 2013, sources said. Her son lives in one of the properties and has put the other two on rent, added the sources. She also gave income statements of her employment with an American School System from 1982 to 2004 in Karachi. She also gave details of her income being generated from her inherited agriculture land of some 250 acres (2,000 kanals) in Dera Murad Jamali, Naseerabad and some parts of interior Sindh since 2002, sources said.

According to sources, the money for the purchase was sent from her foreign currency bank account to London, Mrs Isa further told FBR officials. The money was transferred to an account, which is only in her name, she added. Mrs Isa had shared that she married Justice Isa in early 80s and got registered with FBR Regional Tax Office in Karachi in 1995.

The documents she shared with the FBR authorities were the same that were presented before the Supreme Court on June 19, added the sources. Wife of Justice Qazi Faez Isa appeared before the FBR officials in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court.

FBR officials also questioned "non-disclosure" of London properties in her annual returns. "That, you [Mrs Isa] were liable to declare the above offshore properties as per provisions of section 116 (1)&(b)," an FBR official asked. "My tax lawyer advised me years back that I was not liable to declare my agriculture income, etc---Recently as tax law changed, my counsel asked me to declare my offshore assets, so I did it," she stated in her reply submitted with FBR officials. Section 116 (I)&(b) of FBR new law "mandates every taxpayer to file the wealth statement in the prescribed format declaring therein the total assets and liabilities of the person and his spouse, minor children and other dependents."

That, Mrs Isa, her daughter Sahar Isa and Arsalan Isa Khoso (her son) did not declare their London properties since they did not file their tax declarations for the tax year 2014 to 2018, FBR officials told this correspondent.

The sources also confirmed that the FBR officials have taken all the documents and started reviewing them, sources said. The federal government was also contemplating either to generate an MLA to government of United Kingdom to take further details pertaining to Mrs Isa’s London properties. The Assets Recovery Unit headed by Mirza Shahzad Akbar, Adviser to Prime Minister on Accountability, may work on this idea floated by FBR International Taxes wing to bring some more conclusive information on Mrs Isa’s offshore to probe the matter further, sources said.

FBR's authorities, last week, officially relocated jurisdiction of tax office for Justice Isa's wife from Karachi’s Regional Taxpayer Office (RTO-III) to Islamabad, , a source said. Zulfiqar Ahmed also called on Chief International Taxes FBR and Member Operations Dr Ishfaq Ahmed for guidance last week accordingly, added the source.

Commissioner Zulfiqar Ahmed had served mostly in Karachi where Mrs Isa used to file her returns for over a decade. Sarina Isa told the apex court during the proceedings of this case that her Karachi tax office was changed without her consent by FBR authorities years back.

Last month, the apex court dismissed the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa after declaring it ‘invalid’ while accepting the petitioner’s pleas. The Supreme Court gave 60 days to FBR for the completion of the report pertaining to the offshore properties and submit its final report with the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The short verdict stated that, “The notices shall be served at the official residence of Justice Qazi Faez Isa at Islamabad through courier service and such other means as may be considered appropriate and shall be deemed served on the respondents when received at the said address.”