CJ Isa seeks nominations for additional high court judges

JCP to convene on Sept 13 to review rules for appointment of judges

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa asked the chief justices of all the high courts on Wednesday to initiate the process of nominating additional judges to fill vacancies in the judiciary.

In a letter, Chief Justice Isa urged the chief justices of the five high courts to consider suitable names for the appointment of judges in their respective courts and emphasised that the paramount object was to nominate the best possible candidates.

The letter is addressed to Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar, Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, and Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum.

The letter came a few weeks ahead of a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP). Chief Justice Isa asked the high court chief justices to start search for potential candidates for nomination as additional judges in their courts.

He mentioned that recently, the Supreme Court returned to its full strength on June 25, 2024 after a gap of almost two and a half years, while the Shariat appellate bench of the apex court started hearing cases after a break of four years following the appointment of a second Aalim member.

The chief justice stated that the rules of the JCP were enacted in 2010, adding that while heeding to the persistent demand of the bar councils and the bar associations to make the process of nomination transparent and democratic, he constituted a committee to give its proposals in this regard.

"The said committee submitted its Report and a meeting was called on 3 May 2024 for the consideration of its recommendations. I wanted the meeting to proceed, however, the meeting was postponed in deference to the wishes of the majority," he said.