Four names proposed for vacant PHC slots

Recommended names include Zarqaish Sani, Tariq Yousafzai, Ahmed Ali and Muhammad Yousaf Khan

ISLAMABAD: Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth has proposed four names for the appointment of two additional judges. Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa, as chairman of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), will preside over the first meeting on January 30, the filling of the two posts would be considered.

The recommended names are Zarqaish Sani, Tariq Yousafzai, Ahmed Ali, and Muhammad Yousaf Khan. Two of the nominees belong to Dera Ismail Khan. At present, 18 judges are working in PHC while the total strength is 20.

According to reports, preliminary consultation has also commenced for shortlisting the candidates for the post of additional judges in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), wherein the numbers have also been increased from 7 to 10 judges.

Currently, four judges are working in the IHC while pendency of cases is above 15,000. No judge belonging to Sindh or Balochistan is working in the high court in the capital. The Islamabad bar is demanding that the new judges be appointed from the local bar. Lawyers in the capital are also demanding that the government give consideration to new laws about rotation of lower courts judges in all provinces.

Furthermore, the retirement of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has left one seat vacant at the apex court. In all this, legal experts remain divided on the process of elevation of judges to the apex court, with one group arguing that elevation should be on the basis of competency and not on the grounds of seniority. Justice Muneeb Akhtar has recently been appointed on the basis of competency.