ISLAMABAD: No oath-taking ceremony for the newly-appointed ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh — currently serving as chief justice of the Sindh High Court — could take place on Tuesday, though elaborate arran­gements were made at the Supreme Court building for the purpose.

On Monday, the Law Ministry issued a notification stating that President Dr Arif Alvi had approved the appointment of Justice Sheikh.

Consequently, the Supreme Court office made arrangements for the oath-taking ceremony. The oath had to be administered by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed.

But the SHC’s chief justice declined the offer by writing letters, reiterating his position that he would not be attending the ceremony.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan had decided last week that the SHC CJ would be invited to become an ad hoc judge of the apex court for a period of one year provided he accorded his consent.

The SHC chief justice had earlier in a letter to the JCP dispelled the impression that he had ever accorded his consent for attending sittings of the Supreme Court as an ad hoc judge.

The SHC CJ stated that the notification was issued in spite of the fact that he had consistently and repeatedly declined to give his consent to attend the sittings of the Supreme Court as an ad hoc judge and therefore [the notification] was without lawful authority and was of no legal effect.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2021