ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission approved on Wednesday elevation of Sindh High Court Chief (SHC) Justice Maqbool Baqir to the Supreme Court and recommended the appointment of retired Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan as chief justice of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC).

A meeting of the commission presided over by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk also approved the appointment of Justice Faisal Arab as chief justice of the Sindh High Court .

Justice Arab currently heads the special court which is hearing the high treason case against former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf for proclaiming the state of emergency in the country on Nov 3, 2007.

Read: Pakistani Taliban claim attack on SHC judge in Karachi

Legal observers believe that his appointment as Sindh High Court’s chief justice will not affect the treason trial.

The office of the Federal Shariat Court chief justice fell vacant after retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan was appointed Chief Election Commissioner on Dec 6 last year.

The commission’s recommendations will be taken up by the Parliamentary Committee at a meeting expected to be convened soon.

Published in Dawn January 29th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play