Lawyers more suitable: Retired judges no longer to head tribunals, says CJP

Says preference will be given to lawyers as tribunal chiefs

HYDERABAD:

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali on Friday said that appointment of retired judges to various tribunals in Pakistan may soon come to a halt.

Addressing the annual dinner of Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) held in Hyderabad he revealed that preference will be given to lawyers as heads of tribunals.

"I have considered enough about this issue and we are trying for phased implementation," he said. "I am personally in favour of discouraging this practice."

Justice Jamali said that instead of reappointing retired judges on contractual basis practising lawyers should be given the opportunity to head the tribunals. "I have no doubt that our lawyers are talented and competent. They need an opportunity where they can show their potential."

Although the CJP did not specify any particular tribunal, the tribunals may include the election, environmental, income tax, customs and service tribunals. The CJP further stated that 90 subordinate judges are being appointed in Sindh. He asked the bars to suggest names of lawyers to the judicial academy for training.



Meanwhile, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah, while responding to the SHCBA's request for allocating yearly financial grants, suggested the bar seek monetary help from the provincial government.

"On a lighter note I would say that the chief minister Sindh went to the high court, Karachi and Malir bars and gave away Rs10 million grant to each of them. You may also invite the chief minister. You are a bigger bar than Malir and you can also get at least Rs10 million."

Justice Shah said every judicial officer is a member of the bar before becoming the judge. “If you feel that some of the judicial officers lack integrity than that means the bar will also have to find out black sheep in their lines. If the bar is strong, competent and of integrity than I dont see a reason why the judiciary could not further improve.

The SHCBA’s elections were scheduled for Feb 6 but the Pakistan Bar Council’s appellate committee stayed the polls through an order on Feb 3. The contesting candidates made a last ditch effort by challenging the order in Sindh High Court on Thursday but their petition was not admitted.


Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2016.