3 vacant seats at SC: JCP to consider names of 9 judges from LHC, SHC on June 7

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is to consider the names of nine judges from the Lahore High Court (LHC) and Sindh High Court (SHC) for three vacant seats at the Supreme Court on June 7.

The JCP is the highest body for recommending the names of high court judges or lawyers for appointment at the SC. It is headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan and comprises four senior judges of the apex court, one retired judge of the SC, the Law Minister, the Attorney General for Pakistan, and a representative of the Pakistan Bar Council.

The six senior judges nominated from the LHC for two SC positions were Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, Justice Shahid Bilal, and Justice Abdul Abid Aziz Sheikh.

For one apex court seat from the SHC, the names of Justice Aqeel Abbasi, Justice Shafi Siddiqui, and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto will be considered.

The total number of judges’ posts in the SC is 17, but currently, there are 14 judges. The seats fell vacant following the resignation of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and the removal of Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and the retirement of Justice Sardar Tariq Masood on March 10.

Justice Ijaz resigned on 11 January, 2024 following the resignation of Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi on January 10, without citing a reason. The SJC despite Naqvi’s resignation had proceeded against him and on March 7 found him guilty of misconduct and recommended that he “should have been removed from the office of judge”.

The JCP members on May 03, on the request of Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar to defer the Committee’s proposals regarding amendments in Judicial Commission of Pakistan Rules, 2010, had decided that the process of appointments of judges in the superior judiciary should continue according to the existing JCP rules.

Azam had briefed the Commission that the federal government was considering amending Article 175A of the Constitution and that the formation of the Commission may be changed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024