JCP meeting to be held today

An important meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) will be held at the Supreme Court on Friday (today) to deliberate upon the proposed JCP Rules 2024.

The meeting, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, will be attended by senior puisne judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice (retd) Manzoor Malik, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan and other members of the JCP.

A letter has been delivered to the chief justices of the five provincial high courts, including the Islamabad High Court (IHC), requesting the names of candidates for additional judges.

The JCP will consider elevation of judges in the superior judiciary after the formation of JCP Rules 2024.

Sources maintained that two or more judges will be appointed to the IHC. Twenty-four judges will be appointed to Lahore High Court (LHC). Currently, 36 judges are working at the LHC whereas the required number is 60.

A total of 17 judges are to be appointed to the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The president has increased the number of judges at the PHC from 20 to 30. Presently, 13 judges are serving the PHC.

Meanwhile, a private member bill is under consideration by the relevant committee to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act 1997, aiming to increase the apex court strength from 17 to 23 judges.

Article 176 of the Constitution empowers the president to determine the strength of the Supreme Court, allowing for flexibility in setting the number of judges.

The last JCP meeting was held on May 3, but it remained inconclusive as the law minister informed the commission of the federal government's intention to introduce constitutional amendments to alter the current process for elevating superior court judges.