Three new judges, one from Peshawar and two from Lahore High Courts, have been elevated to fill in three of the four vacant positions in the Supreme Court.
The judges are: Chief Justice Shakirullah Jan of the Peshawar High Court and Justice M. Javed Butter and Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani of the Lahore High Court.
The nation's highest court of appeal is still short by one judge of its approved strength of 17 judges. The new appointees fill in the positions that fell vacant in December last year following the withdrawal of Presidential Order that extended the retirement age of judges from 65 to 68 years.
In filling these vacancies, senior lawyers maintain the authorities had been in default of the parameters set by the Supreme Court in the famous 'Judges Case' where a time limit of thirty days to fill the position was provided in expected retirements and 90 days in case of unusual circumstances like disability or demise.
Another vacancy will be caused in about two week's time when Justice Mian Muhammad Ajmal lays down the robes of his office on the next Independence Day.
Yet another vacancy is on the cards but towards the end of this year when Justice Syed Deedar Hussain Shah will retire on Dec 10.
Four months later another judge, Justice Hamid Ali Mirza will retire on April 13 next year.
The induction of three new appointees has been set for 11am on Saturday.
PPI ADDS: The President is also pleased to appoint Peshawar High Court Judge Justice Nasirul Mulk as Chief Justice of the said high court on and from the date he takes upon himself the execution of his office as Chief Justice.