Legal bodies demand clarity over status of SHC CJ

Joint meeting of bar associations calls for immediate amendments in JCP rules

ISLAMABAD:

The representatives of superior bars to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) have demanded that the status of the chief justice of Sindh High Court (SHC) should be determined without further delay as notification for his appointment as an ad-hoc judge of the Supreme Court (SC) is still prevailing.

The representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), other provincial and Islamabad bar councils are raising the issue related to SHC CJ , when there are strong rumours in the bar that the JCP may consider the appointment of SHC CJ Ahmed Ali Sheikh as chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC).

In August last year, the JCP, by majority consent, approved the nomination of SHC CJ as ad-hoc judge of the apex court. Even notification regarding his appointment was issued on August 16, 2021.

However, the SHC CJ refused to accept his appointment as ad-hoc judge of the apex court. Interestingly, the superior bars had supported SHC CJ’s stance at that time.

 A joint meeting of superior bars’ representatives was held on Thursday. The meeting considered the matter of elevation of judges to superior courts and amendments in Judicial Commission of Pakistan Rules, 2010, and took the decision unanimously.

Read Lawyers take exception to ad-hoc judges’ appointment 

The meeting resolved that the rules committee of JCP should be re-constituted without delay and it should carry out appropriate amendments to the rules, laying down the criteria for appointments of judges in superior courts within two months.

They further resolved that no fresh elevation should be made in superior courts till the amendment of rules of JCP.

"The process of confirmation of 13 additional judges of the Lahore High Court (LHC) should be completed within two months,” they demanded.