Constitution permits appointment of ad hoc judges: Law Minister

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday that ad hoc judges can be appointed in the Supreme Court under the constitution, Radio Pakistan reported.

In a statement today, he said the Supreme Court should appoint ad hoc judges.

Ad hoc SC judges: Former Justices Tariq and Miankhel agree for their appointments

The Law Minister rejected reports about an extension in the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Issa.

The Law Minister said the issue of invoking Article 6 against the PTI leaders can be brought in the Parliament.

He said Article 6 can be debated in Parliament.

Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa proposed four retired judges for the appointment as four ad hoc judges for three years in the apex court.

It included Mushir Alam, Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Maqbool Baqar, and Sardar Tariq Masood.

For considering their names, the CJP has summoned the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) meeting on Friday (July 19).

PTI rejects ad hoc judges’ appointment

According to Article 182 of the constitution; an ad hoc Judge shall have the same power and jurisdiction as a Judge of the Supreme Court.

Rejecting the appointment of ad hoc judges, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has categorically stated that the party would strongly resist all attempts to covert the Supreme Court (SC) into a “one-man show.”

PTI Spokesperson called the plan a result of a “match-fixing” between the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and the mandate thief government because the appointment of ad hoc judges in the apex court was highly non-transparent, unnecessary, and against justice.