Qazi Faez Isa


Qazi Faez Isa is a justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan since 5 September 2014. Previously, he served as Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court from 5 August 2009 to 5 September 2014.

Early life and education

Isa was born in Quetta, Balochistan, on 26 October 1959. He is the son of Qazi Muhammad Essa, a Pakistani politician and independence movement activist who was a close associate of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Isa's paternal grandfather was the Prime Minister of the Kalat State. He is of Hazara descent. The diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi is his first cousin, and Jennifer Musa is his aunt through marriage to his paternal uncle Qazi Muhammad Musa.
He completed his primary and secondary education in Quetta, did his "O" and "A" levels from Karachi Grammar School Karachi and went on to do B.A. 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.

Professional career

He enrolled as an Advocate of the Balochistan High Court on 30 January 1985 and as an Advocate Supreme Court on 21 March 1998.
He 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.
Isa served as a member of the Pakistan Law and Justice Commission, the National Judicial 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 Isa served as a member of the Supreme Judicial Council.