CJP Yahya forms committee for drafting rules regarding judges' appointments

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

The committee would drafting rules and share the same with the Secretariat of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan by 15th December, 2024. Mr. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Supreme Court’s Judge is appointed chairman of the committee and 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 ASC.

The committee will have support of the officials including Niaz Muhammad Khan, Secretary JCP, Mr. Zafar Iqbal, Research Officer, Supreme Court and Mr. Qaiser Abbas, Research Officer, Supreme Court.

The Committee is expected to furnish the draft rules by 15th December, 2024.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 today on 6th December, 2024 (Friday). 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.

The meetings took up for consideration the agendas including Constitution of Rules Committee for preparing draft rules for procedure of Judicial Commission of Pakistan, Nomination of Mr. Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan as judge for Constitutional Benches in the Supreme Court. Nominations for appointment as Additional Judges for Peshawar High Court and High Court of Sindh and to consider the 02 names of sitting Judges of the High Court of Sindh for the Constitutional Benches.

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.