LHC Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. PHOTO: FILE
Sources told The Express Tribune on Thursday that the CJP has summoned a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on January 18 to consider the elevation of LHC CJ as a SC judge.
The chief justice has also proposed LHC’s senior judge Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali to take over as the new chief justice of the Lahore High Court, they added. Justice Yawar is a member of the special court that is hearing treason case against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf. He may work as LHC CJ till October.
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Justice Shah was appointed as a judge of LHC on September 15, 2009 and he was appointed as chief justice in June 2015. He introduced a number of reforms for the betterment of justice system in Punjab and strived to regulate bar associations of the province.
Due to certain steps taken by him to curb the culture of resorting to violence in the legal fraternity, one section of lawyers was unhappy with him.
Likewise, disputes also arose between the bench and Multan High Court Bar Association last year. Both times, the apex court had to intervene in the matter and sort out the issues.
However, another section of lawyers believes that the service of Justice Shah as LHC CJ is still required for better changes in the justice system.
Justice Shah will remain a SC judge till November 2027 if he is promoted by the commission in the coming days. This would mean that he could also become the chief justice of Pakistan for three years in the future.
With his elevation, the Supreme Court will regain its full strength. Presently, one seat is vacant in the apex court.
According to the seniority list, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa will be the next chief justice of Pakistan. After his retirement, Justice Gulzar Ahmad, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Qazi Faez Isa will work as CJP.
After Justice Isa’s retirement, Justice Shah will be appointed as Chief Justice of Pakistan if he is elevated to the apex court.
CJP takes notice
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has taken suo motu notice on the prevalent conditions of government hospitals in Lahore.
Notices have been issued in this regard to the medical superintendents of 19 government hospitals of Lahore. All the medical superintendents have been directed to appear at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry on January 6. Usually, SC benches do not hear cases on Saturday but the incumbent chief justice has changed this trend by fixing public interest matters on Saturdays.
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The medical superintendents have also been asked to bring along reports of the availability of emergency machinery/equipment comprising of ventilators, oxygen, incubators OTs facility, angiography machines, CT Scan, MRI, ambulances.
Reports are expected to explain the position of the availability of life saving drugs, the medicines being provided to the patients free of cost, and the medicines which patients are required to purchase from outside.
The CJP has also asked for details of the availability of qualified doctors and nursing staff.
All the medical superintendents have been called to be present in-person along with the detailed reports reflecting the position of their hospitals.
There has been a lot of hue and cry from the public over the non-availability of life-saving drugs and non-functional emergency equipment.
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