SJC forms committee for drafting rules on judges’ appointments

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman Judicial Commission of Pakistan and Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Yahya Afridi, on Friday constituted a committee for drafting rules to regulate procedure and criteria for appointment of judges.

The committee would draft rules and share the same with the Secretariat of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan by December 15. Mr Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Supreme Court’s Judge, has been appointed chairman of the committee. Other members include Mr Mansoor Usman Awan, Attorney General of Pakistan, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, Senator, Mr Farooq Hamid Naek, Senator, and Mr Akhtar Hussain, senior advocate of the Supreme Court.

The meetings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, Judicial Commission of Pakistan (High Court of Sindh) and Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Peshawar High Court) were convened on Friday (Dec 6). The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Yahya Afridi chaired the meetings.

The JCP unanimously decided to accord highest priority towards framing of rules relating to regulating its procedure including the procedure and criteria for assessment, evaluation and fitness for appointment of Judges. The committee authorized the Chairman/chief justice of Pakistan, to nominate members out of the commission for the purpose of constituting the committee.

Mr Justice Munib Akhtar joined the meeting through video link Supreme Court, Branch Registry, Karachi. The members attended the meetings in person include, Mr Justice Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice of Pakistan /Chairman JCP, Mr Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Mr Justice Munib Akhtar, Mr Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Mr Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Mr Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Chief Justice of High Court of Sindh, Mr Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court, Mr Justice Ijaz Anwar, Judge of Peshawar High Court, Mr Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, Judge of High Court of Sindh, Mr Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Mr Mansoor Usman Awan, Attorney General for Pakistan, Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, MNA, Barrister Ali Gohar, MNA, Barrister Ali Zafar, Senator, Mr Farooq Hamid Naek, Senator, Mr Zia ul Hassan Lanjhar, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Sindh, Mr Aftab Alam Afridi, Minister for Law, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr Akhtar Hussain, Senior ASC, Ms Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Nominee of the Speaker National Assembly, Mr Munir Hussain Lughmani, Representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and Mr Qurban Ali Malano, Representative of Sindh Bar Council.

The Commission also approved the nomination of Mr. Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, a judge of the Supreme Court for the constitutional benches of the Supreme Court.

In its second meeting, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Peshawar High Court) the agenda of appointment of Additional Judges for the Peshawar high court was deferred till 21st December, 2024. It was also decided to extend the date of submission of nominations for appointment of Additional Judges till 10th December, 2024.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (Sindh) nominated Mr. Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon and Mr. Justice Agha Faisal as Judges of Constitutional Benches of the High Court of Sindh by a majority vote. In the meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (High Court of Sindh) the agenda for appointment of Additional Judges for the High Court of Sindh was deferred till 21st December, 2024. It was also decided to extend the date of submission of nominations for appointment of Additional Judges till 10th December, 2024.

Earlier, in a joint preliminary meeting, the Commission received a detailed presentation from the IT experts in using technology in order to reduce the massive paper load involved in the decision-making process of the Commission. The Chief Justice of Pakistan / Chairman of the Commission informed the participants that the move is intended to reduce the burden of the secretariat and members of the Commission. The members of the Commission appreciated the efforts and agreed to switch to the technology gradually for ease of the members. – By Our Reporter / News Agencies