The cold shoulder: Legal fraternity irate as four new PHC judges appointed
Lawyers question nomination, appointment procedure, say merit not considered.
PESHAWAR:
As four new Peshawar High Court judges took oath on Monday, it seemed the legal fraternity was in no rush to argue cases before them. The Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) and other lawyers’ bodies questioned the nomination and appointment procedure and continued their strike.
New to the bench
The oath to the new judges, appointed for a one-year period, was administered by Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and took place in Courtroom-I.
PHC Registrar Muhammad Arshad read the notification of the newly-appointed judges issued by President Mamnoon Hussain. Those who took oath included Justice Muhammad Younis Tahim, Justice Qalandar Ali Khan, Justice Muhammad Ghazanfar Khan and Justice Haider Ali. The total strength of judges at the PHC increased to 19 with the four new appointments.
The ceremony was attended by judicial officers of the high court, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa advocate general, deputy attorney generals, additional advocate generals and judges of the lower judiciary. Lawyers from the DI Khan, Nowshera and Abbottabad bar associations were also present.
No show
The judges were made members of division benches in different courtrooms to hear cases, but lawyers failed to appear for proceedings as they were on strike against the appointment procedure of the judges.
“We have reservations as merit was not considered and the proper procedure was not followed,” PHCBA Secretary General Muhammad Ayaz told the media. “It shows that justice did not prevail in the nomination process.”
He said five judges had to be nominated for the high court and highlighted that only five names were put forward to the judicial commission for consideration. “This is by no means the proper method,” he stressed. The fifth judge is yet to be appointed.
Ayaz added a meeting of all secretary generals and presidents of district bar associations had been convened for Tuesday (today) to chalk out the legal fraternity’s future strategy over the appointment of these judges.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2014.
As four new Peshawar High Court judges took oath on Monday, it seemed the legal fraternity was in no rush to argue cases before them. The Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) and other lawyers’ bodies questioned the nomination and appointment procedure and continued their strike.
New to the bench
The oath to the new judges, appointed for a one-year period, was administered by Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and took place in Courtroom-I.
PHC Registrar Muhammad Arshad read the notification of the newly-appointed judges issued by President Mamnoon Hussain. Those who took oath included Justice Muhammad Younis Tahim, Justice Qalandar Ali Khan, Justice Muhammad Ghazanfar Khan and Justice Haider Ali. The total strength of judges at the PHC increased to 19 with the four new appointments.
The ceremony was attended by judicial officers of the high court, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa advocate general, deputy attorney generals, additional advocate generals and judges of the lower judiciary. Lawyers from the DI Khan, Nowshera and Abbottabad bar associations were also present.
No show
The judges were made members of division benches in different courtrooms to hear cases, but lawyers failed to appear for proceedings as they were on strike against the appointment procedure of the judges.
“We have reservations as merit was not considered and the proper procedure was not followed,” PHCBA Secretary General Muhammad Ayaz told the media. “It shows that justice did not prevail in the nomination process.”
He said five judges had to be nominated for the high court and highlighted that only five names were put forward to the judicial commission for consideration. “This is by no means the proper method,” he stressed. The fifth judge is yet to be appointed.
Ayaz added a meeting of all secretary generals and presidents of district bar associations had been convened for Tuesday (today) to chalk out the legal fraternity’s future strategy over the appointment of these judges.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2014.