CJP recommends nine judges for elevation to three vacant SC seats

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa proposed on Monday nine judges from the Lahore and Sindh high courts to fill in three vacant seats of the Supreme Court (SC).

The six senior judges nominated from the Lahore High Court (LHC) for two apex court positions were Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, Justice Shahid Bilal, Justice Abdul Abid Aziz Sheikh and Justice Aaliya Neelum.

Justice Aqeel Abbasi, Justice Shafi Siddiqui, and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto were nominated from the Sindh High Court (SHC) for one apex court seat.

A meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is scheduled for June 7 to consider the nine nominees.

The JCP serves as the highest authority for recommending judicial appointments to the Supreme Court, high courts, and Shariat court. It consists of the CJP as its chairman.

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The matter comes amidst a proposal pending approval for change in the rules of judges' appointment to the apex court.

This proposal has been prepared by JCP member from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Akhtar Hussain, and former JCP member Advocate Amjad Farooq Khattak. Three judges are to be appointed to the Supreme Court.

On April 16, Hussain told The Express Tribune that one SC judge should be appointed from the SHC, and at least one judge from the LHC should be elevated to the apex court.

He said CJP Isa also held the opinion that chief justices should not have the sole authority to nominate judges.

“The draft prepared by the Rules Making Committee has been finalized; now, a full JCP meeting should be called to approve it,” he said.

Khattak said appointments of judges in the higher judiciary should be based on merit rather than relationships and affiliations with chambers.