ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has opposed the move by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to nominate Justice Ayesha Malik, the fourth most senior judge in the Lahore High Court, for elevation to the Supreme Court.

In a statement released on Friday, PBC vice chairman Khushdil Khan said Justice Ayesha’s elevation would ignore not only the LHC judges senior to her, including the chief justice, but also the chief justices of other high courts.

Khushdil Khan said such nominations would affect the performance of senior judges.

“This move is against the principle of seniority laid down in the 1996 judges case. It has been a consistent stance of the legal fraternity that the Judicial Commission should follow the principle of seniority and stop the practice and desire to pick and choose for elevation to the Supreme Court,” Khushdil Khan stated.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2021