SCBA against appointment of retired judge to SC

Kanrani says apex court has already set criterion for appointment of judges

QUETTA: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Amanullah Kanrani has expressed serious concern over the likely appointment of a retired Lahore High Court judge as a Supreme Court (SC) judge, saying such a move will be against the judgement of the SC in the Al Jihad case.
“The verdict clearly states that judges of the Supreme Court will be appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice of Pakistan,” said the SCBA president while addressing the media at the Quetta Press Club on Tuesday.

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“The Supreme Judicial Commission is thinking considering the name of former LHC judge Justice (retd) Qazi Muhammad Ameen to be appointed as SC judge,” said Kanrani, adding that the SC had set a criterion for the appointment of judges during the Al Jihad case back in 1996 according to which a senior judge from the high courts would be appointed as an SC judge.
“Appointment of Qazi Ameen will be against the law,” he added. “Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa is the most talented person. We expect that he will not let any unconstitutional practice take place.”

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On the 19th Amendment, the SCBA president said, “There is a need for further amendments as one-sided appointments are being made without taking into confidence the lawyers’ community.”
He also urged giving importance to the opinion of bar councils and parliament in this regard.
“We have decided to call a seminar in April to sit with parliamentarians so they can share their suggestions for new amendments to the Constitution,” said Kanrani.
The SCBA president vowed to raise public issues. He said, “We are against the practice of flattering regimes. Our responsibility is to raise public issues legally.”