Govt gest last chance to appoint special court judged

LHC informed of plan to resolve issue in cabinet meeting

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday gave the Punjab government a final opportunity to appoint judges to special courts.

LHC Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan issued the orders while hearing a petition filed by the provincial government, seeking the transfer of certain cases from Anti-Terrorism Court-1 in Rawalpindi to another court.

During the proceedings, Punjab Advocate General Khalid Ishaq told the court that a cabinet committee tasked with finalising the appointments of judges had consulted the chief minister on the issue.

He submitted that the chief minister had asked for the issue of judges' appointments to be placed as on top of the agenda in the next cabinet meeting.

However, the chief justice remarked, "You should have called a special meeting of the cabinet or done it through circulation. You should have done it and come today."

He asked when the next cabinet meeting would be held.

The advocate general submitted that the cabinet meeting would be called on Friday to resolve the issue.

When, the chief justice pointed out the absence of the members of the government committee from the proceedings, the advocate general submitted that they would appear within half an hour if the court ordered. He submitted that the government did not have any objections to the names provided by the LHC for the appointment of judges.

Subsequently, the court gave the government a final opportunity to appoint judges.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2024.