Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered to withdraw the curative review reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
The prime minister on Thursday directed the law minister to withdraw the reference as the government had decided not to pursue it. He said Justice Isa and his family were harassed and defamed through the reference.
He claimed that the reference was moved by a "vengeful Imran Niazi" against an honest judge. It was an attack on the independence of judiciary and a nefarious conspiracy to divide the institution, he said. The Muslim League (N) and allies had condemned the reference, he added.
He said the former prime minister misused the constitutional office of the president for filing the reference.
Lawyers' organisations, including the Pakistan Bar Council, had also opposed the reference and the PML-N appreciated their gesture.