GILGIT: The opposition and treasury members in Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on Wednesday demanded, through a unanimous resolution, appointment of judges on two vacant posts of the GB Supreme Appellate Court, including the chief judge, under the constitution of Pakistan.

The resolution was tabled by opposition leader Mohammad Shafi Khan during the ongoing assembly session.

It said the litigants in the region were facing difficulties due to lack of judges as urgent cases, including bail petitions of many prisoners were pending with the court.

This house unanimously demands filling vacant posts of judges in GB Supreme Appellate Court under the mechanism for appointment of judges defined by the constitution’s Article 175, the resolution demanded.

The resolution also demanded that above 16 grade administrative vacancies in the court should be filled through the Federal Public Service Commission, while posts from grade 5 to 14 should be filled through Career Testing Services of Pakistan (CTSP).

It regretted that rules of procedure of appellate court were yet to be approved.

Speaking on the occasion, the opposition leader alleged that three former judges of the appellate court committed financial and administrative corruption in the highest court of law of GB.

The retired judges set aside the rules and appointed their blue-eyed persons and relatives, he claimed.

Opposition member Nawaz Naji also levelled allegations of wrongdoing on the judges of the appellate court, while another opposition member Javed Hussain said GB affairs were being handled from Islamabad.

Law minister Aurangzeb Khan supported the resolution and said there was lawlessness in GB. He alleged that the federal government had finalised everything to induct their own persons in supreme appellate court.

Meanwhile, the GB Supreme Appellate Court Bar Association expressed concern over delay in appointment of judges on vacant posts.

The concern was aired at a meeting of the association chaired by its president Shafqat Wali.

The meeting also passed a resolution demanding that only local eligible persons should be appointed on the judges’ posts.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2019