Pakistan

CJP seeks reappointment of two retired judges

JCP meeting summoned for Dec 3 to consider ad hoc appointment

Hasnaat Malik November 25, 2015

Anwar Zaheer Jamali. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Anwar Zaheer Jamali has put forth the names of two retired judges for reappointment to the Supreme Court on ad hoc basis, sources told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.

According to them, the CJP has summoned a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) in Lahore on December 3 for this purpose. The retired judges in question are Tariq Pervez and Khilji Arif Hussain, the sources revealed.

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Justice (retd) Pervez, who reached superannuation in February 2013, is currently a member of the commission which recommends the names of superior court judges. Before his current assignment, he served as the caretaker chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Justice (retd) Khilji, who retired in April 2014, was part of the bench that heard the Arsalan Iftikhar case in the SC.

Both judges can be appointed on ad hoc basis under article 182 of the Constitution. According to the article, the CJP can, with the president’s approval, appoint a former judge if it is necessary to increase the quorum of judges of the SC.

New era: Justice Anwar Zaheer sworn in as SC’s 24th chief justice

However, superior bars have expressed concern over the reappointment of retired judges.

Meanwhile, CJP Jamali has also summoned a meeting of JCP today (Wednesday) to discuss the elevation of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Faisal Arab to the Supreme Court.

Justice Arab is the head of the special tribunal which is hearing the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf. Legal experts believe the tribunal may be dissolved after Justice Arab’s elevation.

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Musharraf’s counsel Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, however, said the two remaining members of the special tribunal can continue to hear the treason case.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (2)

Vukla_Ghundagiri | 9 years ago | Reply @Sodomite: The elevation of the CJ of SHC is in turn, since there are vacant seats in the SC. They have no choice but to elevate him since he's the senior most judge. Appointment of retired judges on an ad hoc basis is rather progressive given the pending cases in the Supreme Court. Justice Khilji Arif has one of the highest rates of clearing cases ever in the judiciary. This will help reduce the amount of time it takes in appeals. So, hold on to your cynicism my friend. Let's hope for an improvement, even if it is only in small increments.

Sodomite | 9 years ago | Reply Another SC CJ shows his mettle by moving around SC chairs. Musharraf gets off scot-free and two retirees - of whom I know not any famous judgements - come back on taxpayers payroll. Way to go Land of the Pure.

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