July 18, 2024
By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa has convened a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan on July 19 to discuss the appointment of ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court.
The chief justice had recommended the names of four retired Supreme Court judges on a term of three years. They included justices Mushir Alam, Maqbool Baqir, Mazhar Alam Mian Khel, and Tariq Masood. However, Justices Mushir Alam and Maqbool Baqar have declined to serve in these positions.
The announcement has garnered mixed reactions from political parties and bar associations. While the federal government supports the decision, some bar associations have expressed opposition.
Federal Minister of Law Azam Nazir Tarar said on Aaj TV’s prime time programme, Spotlight, that the appointment of the judges should not be solely decided by the CJ but by the Judicial Commission. He criticized political leaders for unjustly targeting the Chief Justice.
Syed Amjad Shah, a member of the Pakistan Bar Council, mentioned that representatives from the Pakistan Bar Council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, and Punjab Bar Council had requested the CJ to appoint ad hoc judges due to the backlog of cases.
Ahmed Farooq Khattak, a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, supported the appointment of ad hoc judges, stating it is a constitutional process and that Pakistan needs 10 more judges on an ad hoc basis.
Conversely, President of the Balochistan Bar Association, Muhammad Afzal Harifal, rejected the decision, arguing that appointing ad hoc judges will be detrimental to the judiciary.
The Karachi Bar Association also condemned the decision, stating that appointing retired judges on an ad hoc basis violates the judiciary’s policy. They have announced plans for a nationwide movement in protest.