ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) demanded of the federal government to establish constitutional court by amending constitution, for hearing of only constitutional and political cases. In a statement issued by the PBC secretary, on Thursday, the court stated that this step would save a lot time of the Supreme Court judges for hearing of ordinary citizens’ cases, which mostly are adjourned due to political cases. This would provide speedy justice to the common man and restore their trust in courts.
The Council appreciated the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa for summoning the Judicial Commission of Pakistan meeting today (July 19) for appointing of recently retired judges as ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court.
The statement mentioned that the members of the Pakistan Bar Council, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the Punjab Bar Councils have met with the CJP Qazi Faez to request him that in view of the political cases, the cases of ordinary litigants are being delayed, therefore, under Article 182 (a & b) appoint ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court so that the cases of ordinary citizens are heard and decided expeditiously.
PTI rejects ad hoc judges’ appointment
The Council maintained that the ad hoc judges were also appointed in the past, as the constitution allows it. They said that the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court will help in reducing pending cases, as the maximum time of the judges is being consumed in hearing of political cases, due to that the cases of ordinary litigants are delayed.
No decision on their cases has increased anxiety among the litigants. They demanded that after the appointment of ad hoc judges, permanent benches be constituted in the Supreme Court Registries for the benefit of the litigants.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, in a statement, said that the constitution permits the appointment of ad hoc judges. He said there is no veracity in news regarding the extension in the tenure of the incumbent chief justice, adding that the debate started due to a huge pension bill of government servants.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024