MANSEHRA: Four of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council’s 28 members have opposed appointments of ad hoc judges to the Supreme Court.

“I, along with three other members of the KP Bar Council - Ali Zaman Khan from Peshawar, Akbar Khan from Timergara and Syed Farid Jan from Chitral - believe that the appointment of ad hoc judges will undermine the sanctity of the apex court, so we don’t support the stand of other 24 members to stay neutral on this issue,” Waqar Ahmad Khan told reporters here on Friday.

Mr Khan, who represents Mansehra in the council, said he, Ali Zaman, Akbar Khan and Farid Jan jointly moved a resolution to the council on Thursday to voice opposition to the appointment of ad hoc judges to the Supreme Court.

“We appeal to all former judges to decline their nomination as ad hoc judges,” he said.

The council member said when democracy and the rule of law were undermined in the country, such appointments didn’t meet the basic need for the dispensation of justice.

“We fear that such appointments will impact constitutional issues to be taken up by the Supreme Court and thus, undermining the independence of the judiciary,” he said.

Mr Khan said ad hoc appointments would also erode people’s trust in the Supreme Court. “We oppose these appointments just because we want the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law and the Constitution to be upheld, and will continue raising our voice at all available forums,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2024