Bar condemns BHC judges' selection process

QUETTA:

The Balochistan Bar Council (BBC) on Saturday strongly condemned the ongoing selection process for appointments to the Balochistan High Court (BHC), describing the nomination of a long-serving civil servant for elevation as an insult to the legal profession.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta, BBC Vice Chairman Jadin Baloch, accompanied by senior leaders Munir Ahmed Kakar and Ayaz Khan Mandokhail, expressed strong resentment over what they said was the complete exclusion of the bar from the consultation process.

They revealed that one of the leading candidates recommended to the chief justice had served as an instructor in the government's Manpower and Training Department for 18 years.

They argued that elevating a government employee directly to the high court bench undermines the merit, standing and mandate of independent, practicing lawyers across the province. The BBC also voiced concern over the broader implications of the appointment process for judicial independence.

It alleged that the induction of what it termed "compromised individuals" was an attempt to fill the 15-seat BHC with compliant judges who would prioritize external directives over impartial justice.

According to the council, such appointments would erode public confidence in the judiciary and weaken the independence of the legal system. In protest, the bar announced a province-wide boycott of court proceedings on Monday.