The Supreme Court has clarified that Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa or his wife did not seek exemption from being searched at airports and has asked the ministry of aviation to full disclose facts on the matter.

In a letter to the ministry, SC’s Public Relations Office Shahid Kamboyo has asked that the original letter written by the SC registrar for removal of an anomaly regarding airport searches.

The registrar’s letter, dated September 21 (three days after Justice Isa took oath), told the ministry of aviation that serving judges, retired judges and their spouses were exempted from searches but spouses of serving judges are not. The letter asked the ministry to resolve the anomaly.

The letter written by PRO Kamboyo on Monday, adds that Justice Isa declined the use of the VIP lounge and luxury limousine at the airport.

It added that his wife herself went into a security cubicle and was searched by a lady officer. It adds that serch exemption cards have not been received yet.

The letter also questions why the letter regarding expemtions being granted was released to the media when Justice Isa left he country when it had actually been written on October 18.

The PRO told the ministry that while the anomaly was resolved, no explanation had been given regarding the matter. It added that the government was not concerned about the breach of security which led to the letter being revealed at an ‘interesting’ time.

Right after Justice Isa left with his wife for a winter vacation, a notification from the ministry of aviation had made headlines for expemting spouses of judges from searching.

“Secretary Aviation has been pleased to exempt spouses of serving judges and Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan from body search at all airports,” the October 12 notification issued by the ministry added.