PESHAWAR: Lawyers have decided to launch campaign against appointment of four additional judges to the Peshawar High Court as the latter take oath of their office on Monday.

The PHC Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel will administer the oath to the new judges Qalander Ali Khan, Younas Taheem, Ghazanfar Khan and Haider Ali, at the high court. The PHC Bar Association is opposed to the appointment of three judges, except Qalander Ali, as they are from the bar.

Qalandar Ali is a senior district and sessions judge enjoying respect among the legal circles for his honesty and fairness.

The PHCBA has already announced boycott of the oath-taking ceremony, and also of the high court proceedings for an indefinite period.

The high court bar’s secretary general Mohammad Ayaz Khan told mediapersons that a lawyers’ convention would be held on October 17 to condemn the appointments. He accused the Judicial Commission of ignoring the merit while nominating the lawyers as high court judges.

He said that representatives of lawyers’ bodies from across the province would attend the convention.

The Judicial Commission headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Nasirul Mulk had recommended to the parliamentary committee for appointment of judges the four names for appointment as additional judges of the PHC. — Bureau Report

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2014