Video of former CJP Qazi Faez Isa blaming the system for anti-PTI verdicts

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan analysed facial movements of former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa for discrepancies and conducted a keyword search to find the original interview.

Posts from multiple users on different social media platforms since March 9, 2025, shared a video of the former top judge, allegedly showing him saying that the system, and not he, was responsible for the verdicts against the PTI in his time. However, the video was dubbed over with AI-generated audio.

Relations between the former top judge and the PTI were fraught with tension from the time of the party in government when it pursued a reference against him. After becoming the CJP, Justice Isa stripped the party of its election symbol before the February 8, 2024, general elections and dissented against the Supreme Court’s majority verdict in the reserved seats case that favoured the PTI. The PTI continues to criticise the judge for his alleged bias against the party and his decisions.

HOW IT STARTED

On March 9, an X user, who appeared to be a government critic based on their past posts, shared a video of the former CJP appearing in an interview.

In the clip, the interviewer questioned him about a possible personal bias against PTI founder Imran Khan, citing the judge’s handling of PTI cases. In response, Justice Isa denied having absolute authority, implying that unseen forces influenced judicial decisions.

The transcription of the clip is reproduced below:

Interviewer: Did you have any personal conflict with Imran Khan? Considering all the PTI cases that came before you, it seemed like you were not inclined to deliver justice.

Justice Isa: Look, Pakistan’s system is a bit complicated. If you think that as a chief justice I had all the powers, then you are wrong. My role in all the cases you are talking about was limited. Yes, some powers that are not visible in the media also have an impact in these cases, which I cannot name here.

The post was captioned: “The worst pits of hell will be for those judges who, despite having authority, failed to deliver justice. Hypocrite Judge Faez Isa is trying to absolve himself of all the injustices committed against Imran Khan and PTI by blaming the system, i.e., the army chief.”

It was viewed over 39,000 times.

It was also shared on X by other users as can be seen here, here, and here.

The clip with caption “Qazi Faez Isa Shocking Interview in London” was also shared on Facebook and YouTube, racking up 58,000 and 38,000 views respectively.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the former CJP’s affairs due to the PTI’s continued criticism of him.

A visual analysis of the video showed numerous discrepancies in lip syncing where the voice of the interviewer continues speaking even though the video shows Justice Isa replying to her or speaking. Furthermore, the alleged voice from the judge continues playing even though it can be seen in the video that he has paused in speaking with his lips not moving.

This suggested that the video was dubbed over through AI-generated audio.

A keyword search on YouTube yielded the original interview of Justice Isa, posted on the Oxford Union’s channel, dated October 9, 2022.

The one-hour long video titled: “Justice Qazi Faez Isa: Pakistani Supreme Court Justice | Full Q&A at The Oxford Union,” featured the jurist addressing issues pertaining to the judicial system in Pakistan.

Nowhere in the interview was he shown discussing anything related to Imran or the PTI or anything in the viral clip.

Additionally, at the time the interview was posted, Justice Isa was the senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court and not the CJP. He became the top judge in September 2023, following the retirement of Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a video shows former CJP Qazi Faez Isa blaming the “system” for his decisions against the PTI and saying his role was limited is false.

The viral clip was dubbed over with AI-generated audio and was from an interview in October 2022, long before he became the CJP.

Evidence and References

October 9, 2022, Oxford Union YouTube video:
https://youtu.be/o3E-auiWAI4?si=wQrKTzejXN_s4Xvc