ISLAMABAD ( WEB NEWS )
The Supreme Court has issued a statement regarding the meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, which was chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi.
According to the statement, the commission approved the appointment of six judges as Supreme Court judges.
The statement mentioned that the Judicial Commission meeting was led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and that the commission approved the appointment of Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Aamer Farooq, as a Supreme Court judge.
Additionally, the commission approved the appointment of Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, Justice Shafi Siddiqui, Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court, Justice Hashim Kakar, and Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court, Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, as Supreme Court judges.
The statement further mentioned that Sindh High Court Judge Salahuddin Panhwar and Peshawar High Court Judge Shakeel Ahmad were also approved as Supreme Court judges.
According to the statement, Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb was approved for appointment as an acting judge in the Supreme Court.
Sources revealed that senior Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar, boycotted the Judicial Commission meeting. Additionally, Barrister Ali Zafar and Barrister Gohar also boycotted the meeting.
It is noteworthy that Judicial Commission member and PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar had written a letter to the Chief Justice yesterday, requesting that today’s meeting be postponed.
ISLAMABAD…IHC rejected a representation from five judges challenging the new seniority list
Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq rejected a representation from five judges challenging the new seniority list, which was issued last week following the transfer of three judges to the IHC from three other high courts, sources said on Monday.
The chief justice ruled that the transferred judges did not require fresh oath, and that their seniority would be counted from the oath of the judge’s first high court. Accordingly, the new seniority list of the IHC judges would remain unchanged.
On February 1, the judges strength at the IHC increased with the transfer of Justice Sarfaraz Dogar from the Lahore High Court, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro from the Sindh High Court, and Justice Muhammad Asif from the Balochistan High Court.
On February 4, a revised seniority list was issued, designating Justice Sarfaraz Dogar as the senior puisne judge, followed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani as the second senior-most judge, and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb in the third position.
Justice Tariq Jahangiri was in the fourth place, Justice Babar Sattar fifth, Justice Sardar Ishaq Khan sixth, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir seventh, Justice Suman Riffat Imtiaz eighth, Justice Soomro ninth, Justice Azam Khan 10th, Justice Muhammad Asif 11th and Justice Inam Amin Minhas 12th.
Following the new seniority list, Justice Kayani, Justice Jahangiri, Justice Sattar, Justice Khan and Justice Imtiaz submitted a representation to the chief justice, saying that Justice Dogar could not be considered as an IHC judge until he took oath as required under Article 194 of the Constitution.
The five judges said that Justice Dogar had only been sworn in as a Lahore High Court judge. However, the IHC’s seniority list already listed him as an IHC judge, placing him directly below the chief justice. They urged the chief justice to resolve the matter before the JCP meeting on Monday.
The sources said that Chief Justice Aamir Farooq rejected the representation and instructed the IHC Registrar’s Office to inform all those five judges about his decision on the representation. Accordingly, Justice Dogar, who took oath as a high court judge in 2015, would be the senior puisne judge of the IHC.
Meanwhile, lawyers gathered at various locations in Islamabad, leading to the blockade of multiple roads. The also protested President Asif Ali Zardari’s recent move to transfer three judges from the Sindh, Balochistan and Lahore high courts to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), alleging that it was “unconstitutional” as it undermined the seniority of the judges already serving in the IHC.
Footage shared online showed lawyers chanting slogans against the government and demanding independence of the judiciary. Local media reported deployment of heavy police contingent within the Supreme Court’s premises while entry points to the Red Zone, which houses the highest executive, judicial and legislative authority buildings of the country, were sealed to keep the protesters at bay.
“Our job is very clear and it is that we have to participate in this [protest] and present our stance,” Barrister Ali Zafar, a prominent lawyer, told reporters near Islamabad’s Red Zone area.
Zafar acknowledged that some lawyers were in favor of the judicial transfers and the constitutional amendments, acknowledging that a “division” existed among them.
“There is definitely a division among lawyers, some are on this side and some are on that side,” he said. “But you will see that this movement will keep on growing.”
The Islamabad police, however, assured residents it would ensure their safety despite the protests.
“Islamabad Police is actively working to ensure your safety and to ensure the establishment of law and order throughout the district,” they wrote on X.