Justice Mansoor Ali Shah rescues from performing administrative judge duties

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court’s (SC) Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah has rescued himself from continuing to perform his duties as administrative judge, ARY News reported citing sources.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was assigned duties of administrative judge by then Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Esa. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was sent administrative files, which he refused to sign.

The judge returned the files, stating that he has stepped down as the administrative judge.

Earlier, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah in another letter to the Judicial Commission has given his overall opinion over the rules with regard to appointment of judges.

In his letter to the Secretary Judicial Commission, the apex court judge has opposed getting report from the intelligence agency in judges’ appointment. “The role to the intelligence agency in appointment of judges can be misused,” Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah wrote.

“Already the executive enjoying majority in the judicial commission. I have already clarified my position with regard to the 26th Amendment,” he said.

He suggested constitution of the full court to review the 26th Amendment. There must be a mechanism of appointment of judges for the constitutional bench, senior supreme court judge said.

“A judge has made how many decisions of interpretation of the constitution, can be one of the parameters for posting in the constitutional bench,” he suggested.

Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) rules-making committee Justice Jamal Mandokhail, responding to previous letter of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, said that the Judicial Commission was reconstituted after the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

He stated that the commission authorized the Chief Justice to form a committee for framing rules. Consequently, a committee was formed under Justice Mandokhail’s chairmanship to draft the rules.

Justice Mandokhail informed Justice Shah that the committee has already held deliberations. He also stated that the suggestions proposed by Justice Shah have already been incorporated into the draft.

Furthermore, Justice Mandokhail mentioned that he had shared the proposed draft with Justice Shah prior to receiving his letter.