Parliamentary committee: PML-N wants panel to name judges reshaped

Ishaq Dar points to urgency of completing the quorum.

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has sought the reshaping of the parliamentary committee on the appointment of judges for the superior courts, as it has become dysfunctional after two members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) joined the ruling alliance.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Ghous Bux Mehr, who were members of the committee, joined the treasury benches earlier this week.

The parliamentary committee is scheduled to hold a meeting today (Wednesday) to discuss the matter regarding the appointment and confirmation of judges in the superior courts. It will recommend the names of around four judges for the Balochistan High Court (BHC) and confirm more than a dozen judges for the Lahore High Court.

PML-N senator Ishaq Dar, in his letter to the Secretary Senate Raja Amin, wrote that Article 175A of the Constitution mandates equal representation to the treasury and opposition members from the two Houses in the eight-member committee.

“The matter is extremely urgent as the recent recommendations of the Judicial Commission for the appointment of judges in the superior courts are required to be considered at the latest by May 8, as per the time frame specified in Clause (12) of the said Article,” Dar said.

“The existing members of the PML-Q are required to be substituted with new members from the remaining opposition parties in compliance with the constitution.”

However, Secretary Senate Raja Amin said that the meeting, according to the schedule, will be held because the five-member quorum is complete and proceedings can be conducted.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.