Lawyers object to CJP’s nominations for SC elevation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has objected to the nominations from Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial for their elevation to the Supreme Court (SC), ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to a joint statement, PBC Vice Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman Chaudhry and President SCBA Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon have expressed their serious concerns and disapproved the nominations of three junior Judges from the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Sindh High Court (SHC for their elevation to the Supreme Court (SC).

They added that in the last meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), consensus could not be evolved and even some members voted against such nominations of junior judges of the high courts.

Members of the council further emphasised that such nominations would demoralise other judges of the high courts and would adversely affect their judicial work, adding that this very fact is predominantly against the principle of seniority as laid down in judges’ case.

They furthered that it is a consistent stance of the legal fraternity that the JCP should follow the principle of seniority, stating that the practice and desire to pick and choose should be stopped for elevation to the apex court.

Members added that this principle is violated again then the legal fraternity will “resist it with full force and zeal.”

Meanwhile, PBC and Supreme Court Bar Association and other members of the council appreciated the nomination of Justice Minallah for his elevation to the top court.

It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Justice (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial summoned a session of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on October 24, for the appointment of four new judges to the apex court.

According to details, the CJ has summoned the JCP session focused on the appointment of new judges for the vacant Supreme Court bench seats.

Chief Justice Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah is among the four judges nominated for the Supreme Court. Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Shahid Waheed, Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Shafi Siddiqui are also nominated for the Supreme Court bench.

In June, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan failed to reach a consensus on the appointment of seven judges in the Sindh High Court (SHC), said sources.