Justice Mansoor Ali Shah expresses concerns over Justice Munib’s removal from SC committee

ISLAMABAD: Senior Puisne Judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah refused to join the Supreme Court (SC) Practice and Procedure Committee, established under an amended ordinance, ARY News reported.

In a letter to the SC Practice and Procedure Committee, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah expressed his decision not to be part of it until the full court reviews the ordinance.

The SC Practice and Procedure Committee is mandated with fixing the cases and forms benches to hear the same.

In the letter, the senior puisne judge maintained that the ordinance does not make the reconstitution of the committee ‘mandatory’

“Even after the ordinance, the previous committee could have continued its work. No reason was given as to why Justice Muneeb Akhtar was removed?” he added.

The senior puisne judge said that he cannot participate in the meeting until the restoration of the previous committee and the review by the full court.

Read More: Supreme Court’s Practice, Procedure Committee reconstituted

Earlier on September 20, CJP Qazi Faez Isa nominated Justice Aminud Din Khan as the third member of the committee.

According to a notification issued by the Supreme Court Registrar, Justice Aminud Din Khan, who is fifth in the seniority list, replaced Justice Munib Akhtar as the third member of the committee tasked with forming benches and fixing cases under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.

After the reconstitution, the Supreme Court’s Practice and Procedure Committee comprised CJP Qazi Faez Isa as head with Senior Puisne Judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Aminud Din Khan as the two other members.

The move follows the promulgation of an ordinance amending the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023.