IHC judges: Supreme Court reserves verdict on presidential reference
AG Qadir says president not bound to listen to SC's suggestion.
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the reference filed by the president seeking to clarify his role in the appointment of senior judges, Express News reported on Friday.
The reference, which included 13 questions for the court, was filed in the Islamabad High Court judges’ appointment case.
The president had held notifications on the appointments of IHC judges, as recommended by a Judicial Commission meeting, on the grounds that Justice Anwar Khan Kasi, a member of the meeting, was not as senior as the justice he was replacing on the JC.
In today's hearing, Akram Sheikh - a petitioner - said that the composition of the JC was completely lawful and said that the president cannot give suggestions on this.
Attorney General Ifran Qadir negated him, saying that the president was not bound to listen to the Supreme Court's suggestion.
Heading a five-member bench, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain had earlier observed that while a provision in article 175A of the Constitution stated that seniority would be considered in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, no such provision existed on the appointment of high court chief justices.
The Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the reference filed by the president seeking to clarify his role in the appointment of senior judges, Express News reported on Friday.
The reference, which included 13 questions for the court, was filed in the Islamabad High Court judges’ appointment case.
The president had held notifications on the appointments of IHC judges, as recommended by a Judicial Commission meeting, on the grounds that Justice Anwar Khan Kasi, a member of the meeting, was not as senior as the justice he was replacing on the JC.
In today's hearing, Akram Sheikh - a petitioner - said that the composition of the JC was completely lawful and said that the president cannot give suggestions on this.
Attorney General Ifran Qadir negated him, saying that the president was not bound to listen to the Supreme Court's suggestion.
Heading a five-member bench, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain had earlier observed that while a provision in article 175A of the Constitution stated that seniority would be considered in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, no such provision existed on the appointment of high court chief justices.