Judges’ appointment: Lawyers demand SC verdict implementation

Lawyers say they will protest against appointments

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s lawyers demanded implementation of a Supreme Court judgment in the Al-Jihad Trust case, saying the senior most judge of a high court should be elevated to the apex court.

They also demanded the judge next in line of seniority should be appointed the chief justice of the
high court.

These demands were made at a general body meeting of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council (KPBC). The lawyers boycotted court proceedings to press for their demands.



PHCBA President Muzammil Khan presided over the meeting where KPBC Executive Committee Chairperson Ijaz Sabi and office-bearers of both legal bodies and lawyers were present.

On the occasion, senior lawyer Abdul Latif Afridi said the appointment of most judges to the Supreme Court was from Punjab and this violated the Al-Jihad Trust case judgment.

He said Punjab dominated national institutions and lawyers from K-P reserved the right to question the province being ignored in the appointment of judges to the apex court.

He claimed Justice Yahya Afridi of the Peshawar High Court was not appointed a judge at the apex court through a conspiracy.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2016.