Ahsan Iqbal points out considerations for new CJP appointment

ISLAMABAD: “We have brought the Chief Justice, which was necessary for the Supreme Court,” Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal here said on Wednesday.

“The apex court was presently required a lesser disputed chief justice,” PML-N leader observed.

A special parliamentary committee on Tuesday nominated Justice Yahya Afridi as the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) after the Parliament passed the 26th Constitutional Amendment that altered mechanism of the appointment of the CJP.

Incumbent CJP Qazi Faez Isa is set to retire on October 25, 2024, and will be replaced by Justice Yahya Afridi, who is third in the seniority list.

He said Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the senior-most judge in the top court after outgoing Chief Justice, has his judgments and the practice of the supreme court.

Ahsan Iqbal said, when a high court’s chief justice being appointed from a panel of three judges, then what is wrong in implementing the same principle in appointment of the supreme court’s chief justice.

“In appointment of chief justice of a high court, seniority-cum-fitness seen as fundamental, what is wrong in similar basis for the chief justice of the supreme court,” he questioned.

He said there can be polarization in the politics because of the multi-party political system. “There should not be polarization in judiciary, because it is the institution of justice,” Iqbal said.

He pointed out that the US Congress has also authority for approval of the appointments of judges.