In a first, lawmakers conduct interviews of judges for high courts

Parliamentary committee considers JCP’s recommendations for the appointment of three additional judges to IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of Judges on Wednesday conducted interviews of candidates for judicial posts in high courts.

The move came after the committee amended its rules of business governing the appointment of judges sent to it by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP).

Earlier, the committee, in the wake of a judicial order during the period of former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, had virtually become a rubber stamp.

The apex court while examining the scope of the committee held that recommendations of the JCP would stand approved if the committee could not consider a name within 14 days.

The former chief justice had also made it difficult for the parliamentary committee to reject the JCP’s recommendations.

As per the amended rules, in case of non-appearance before the parliamentary committee, the nomination of a judge would be deemed to have been cancelled.

Parliamentary panel amends rules on judges’ appointment

The committee held its in-camera session at the parliament house. It considered the recommendations of the JCP for the appointment of three additional judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), in addition to conducting their interviews.

The committee would announce its decision on Thursday (today).

It interviewed Lubna Saleem Pervez from Sindh, Fiaz Anjum Jandran and Ghulam Azam Qambrani.

If confirmed, Advocate Lubna may become the first woman to serve as an IHC judge. Jandran is an Islamabad-based lawyer and member of the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC). He also held the post of IBC vice-chairman a couple of years ago.

Qambrani is an eminent lawyer of Balochistan and was a member of the executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

According to the Islamabad High Court Act 2010, “The court shall consist of a chief justice and six other judges to be appointed from provinces and other territories of Pakistan.”

On November 11, the law ministry had informed the JCP about the recommendation of IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah to fill the three vacant posts.