ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on appointment of judges to superior courts on Wednesday asked the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to reconsider its decision of not confirming a woman judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The JCP, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, had on May 5 recommended the confirmation and permanent appointment of six additional judges of the LHC. The judicial commission, however, turned down the confirmation of Erum Sajjad Gul, the only woman judge on the list.

The parliamentary committee in its in-camera meeting held in the Parliament House discussed the JCP’s recommendations.

Besides, the committee endorsed the recommendations of confirming six LHC judges — Justice Raja Shahid Mehmood Abbasi, Justice Shahid Mubeen, Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem, Justice Shehram Sarwar Ch., Justice Muhammad Sajid Mehmood Sethi and Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, all additional judges of the Lahore High Court — for their appointment as judges.

The committee discussed at length the matter of non-confirmation of Justice Erum Sajjad Gul and called for details and reasons behind the judicial commission’s decision not to confirm her.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2017