JCP defers hiring of 7 SHC extra judges

Meeting adjourned as participants couldn’t reach consensus

ISLAMABAD:

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Tuesday could not agree on the issue of the appointment of seven additional judges for the Sindh High Court and its meeting was adjourned until without any decision.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial through video link and sources said it lasted for four hours.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf participated in the meeting via video link from Spain and Lahore respectively.

According to the sources, the meeting also discussed amendments to the JCP Rules. The participants of the meeting considered the appointment of district and sessions judges Amjad Ali Bhoyo and Saad Abdul Qureshi as well as advocates Rashid Solangi, Khadim Hussain Soomro, Barrister Abdul Rehman, Khurram Rashid and Arbab Ali Hakro as additional SHC judges.

The majority of members were of the view that the nomination of judges should be deferred to consider all names thoroughly as well as wait for Justice Isa’s return from abroad.

Though Justice Isa participated in the JCP meeting through video link, but he raised objections over the urgency to hold the JCP huddle.

There is also a report that two-thirds of the JCP members were not in favour to endorse the nominations. Subsequently, after a four-hour discussion, the commission unanimously deferred the matter.

READ Justice Isa calls into question JCP meetings in his absence

The majority of the JCP members also urged the CJP to hold a meeting to finalise the criteria for judges' appointment.

It has also been learnt that LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti had recommended job extension of the majority of additional judges. On the other hand, the superior bars want job confirmation of these judges. The superior bars once again took exception to the elevation of LHC judge Justice Ayesha A Malik to the SC.

The commission will consider the confirmation of 13 LHC additional judges on Wednesday (today).
Justice Isa, while writing a letter to the CJP a day earlier, had noted that the tenure of 13 LHC additional judges was recently extended by six months, asking why was the matter brought up again so soon.

“Does special treatment with regard to LHC incumbents not create unnecessary misgivings? Will those in other provinces and of Islamabad not legitimately question this differential treatment? And, will this provide a pretext to those who want to create fissures in the unity of the nation?” he had added.

“The reason to extend the tenure of the 13 LHC additional judges was that we did not have the opportunity to examine their documents contained in two boxes. [They have] now become four boxes that we have not had the time to examine.”