In a very wise move, President Pervez Musharraf has accorded approval of the appointment of a number of new judges against the existing vacancies in Lahore High Court and Sindh High Court.
Needless to mention here that filling the existing vacancies in the superior courts of the country will go a long way in clearing the backlog and attending to the judicial needs and requirements of the people with a reduced time.
Judges of superior courts are appointed under a set procedure in which the consent of the Chief Justice of Pakistan as well as the Chief Justices of the High Courts concerned by way of recommendations is taken and then the President exercises his powers under the Constitution and accords approval of the new judges to the superior courts.
Reports appearing in newspapers have pointed out that the newly appointed judges to the Lahore and Sindh High Court include a number of lawyers some of whom have not only been actively involved in the ongoing lawyers movement but also have been jailed and are also office-bearers of the legal fraternity representative bodies.
Quite obviously, their names have been included in the list of the new judges with their prior consent and they will be taking oath accordingly after official notification is issued. It is pertinent to ask the protesting and agitating lawyers whether they will also be boycotting the newly appointed judges like the superior courts judges who had taken oath under the PCO?