ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on the Appointment of Judges, Friday, approved the names of judges proposed by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) for elevation to the Supreme Court.
The parliamentary committee in its meeting on Friday approved the recommendations of the JCP.
The Commission on June 7 with consensus had proposed the names of Chief Justice Sindh High Court (SHC) Aqeel Abbasi and Lahore High Court (LHC) judge Justice Shahid Bilal, while by a majority recommended the elevation of the Chief Justice of LHC Malik Shahzad Ahmad as the judge of the apex court.
The JCP meeting was held at the Supreme Court building in the chair of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, and participated by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Yahya Afridi, retired judge Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and the representative of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Akhtar Hussain.
The JCP was split over the elevation of LHC CJ Shahzad Malik. Justice Mansoor, Justice Munib, Justice Yahya, and former Justice Manzoor opposed his recommendation, while CJP Faez, Justice Amin, AGP Mansoor, Law Minister, and PBC representative Akhtar Hussain suggested the names.
As per the Constitution, the actual strength of judges of the Supreme Court is 17 while at present the apex court only has 14 judges including the CJP.
The three posts are to be filled after the retirement of former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial and the resignations of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024