JCP okays 5 names for appointment as additional PHC judges

Superior bars decides to give strong reaction to decision today

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has approved five names for appointment as additional judges at the Peshawar High Court (PHC), despite reservations of superior bars.

Sources revealed to The Express Tribune, the PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth proposed names of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Additional Advocate General Wiqar Ahmad, Muhammad Naeem Anwar, Ahmad Ali, Tariq Afridi and Sahibzada Asadullah for appointment as the PHC additional judges.

Sources said a four-member sub-committee , led by a Supreme Court judge, raised objection to three nominees’ credentials. However, the commission endorsed all the names, recommended by PHC top judge.  During the JCP's meeting, both representatives of superior bars opposed few nominations.

Superior bars have decided to give strong reaction today (Tuesday) to the JCP’s decision. Sources said during the meeting the Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim withdrew 13 names recommended by him for appointment as additional judges of the high court.

Justice Shamim  had proposed names of 10 lawyers – Abdul Rehman Aurangzeb, Asif Saeed Rana , Khalid Waheed Khan, Nasir Mahmud, Malik Waqar Haider Awan, Ansar Nawaz Mirza, Zubair Khalid, Khalid Msasood Ch, Mushtaq Ahmad Mohal , Ilyas Sheikh, and three district and sessions judges – Chaudhry Humayun Imtiaz, Shakil Ahmad and Safdar Saleem Shahid.

Presidential reference

The Supreme Judicial Council’s (SJC) will meet again today (Tuesday) to consider presidential references against two superior courts judges – Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice K K Agha. Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan has not been intimated regarding today’s meeting, a source said.

Instead of issuing show cause notices, the SJC has shared copy of references with both judges under paragraph No 8 (3) of Supreme Judicial Council Procedure of Enquiry 2005.

“If the council is of the view that before forming an opinion, it should also hear the judge under enquiry, it shall require the said judge to present himself before the council. The council shall provide him the information and material received against him,” says paragraph No 8 (3) of the SJC Procedure.

However, sources claim that the SJC in its notice has sought money trail from both judges about their foreign properties.  Both judges will submit written reply to the SJC.

A five-member SJC bench, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh and the PHC Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth held first meeting of references on June 14 amid protests by the legal fraternity which claims that the references are based on ‘mala fide’.

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has already announced that the legal fraternity will observe a nationwide strike on July 2 (Tuesday) in protest against the filing of references against two judges.

PBC Vice Chairman Amjad Shah said lawyers across the country would hold protest meetings in their bar rooms, while lawyers’ representatives would assemble at the Supreme Court premises in Islamabad.

“A meeting of the joint action committee would also be convened at the PBC office at the SC Islamabad building today (July 2),” he added.