ISLAMABAD: As President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday appointed 12 additional judges of the Sindh High Court, Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has convened a meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Feb 11 to consider names for the eight vacancies in the Supreme Court.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice said: “In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 197 read with clause (8) of Article 175A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President of Pakistan is pleased to appoint following persons as Additional Judges of the High Court of Sindh for a period of one year with effect from the date they make oath of their offices.”
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the appointments of 12 additional judges of SHC on Jan 23.
The JCP, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, deliberated upon 46 nominees for 12 vacant slots of SHC.
JCP to meet on Feb 11 to consider top judges for SC vacancies
The newly-appointed judges of SHC included two session judges, Tasneem Sultana and Khalid Hussain Shahani, and 10 lawyers, Miran Muhammad Shah, Abdul Hamid Bhrgari, Ali Haider Ada, Jan Ali Junejo, Mohammad Hassan Akbar (Advocate General), Mohammad Jaffer Raza, Mohammad Osman Ali Hadi, Nisar Ahmed Bhanbhro, Syed Fiaz ul Hassan Shah and Riazat Ali Sahar were approved for SHC.
JCP meeting
Meanwhile, the five senior-most judges of all high courts, including chief justices, are in contention for elevation to the Supreme Court.
The JCP has also de-notified the senior puisne judges of the Lahore High Court, High Court of Balochistan and Peshawar High Court as members of JCP, adding that this de-notification was due to an objection raised by Justice Munib Akhtar, also a member of JCP, in the meeting of Jan 17 to consider the appointment of judges for the Balochistan High Court.
The objection was based on the interpretation of third proviso to Article 175(5) of the Constitution, read with Article 1(2) of the Constitution 26th amendment Act (No. XXVI) of 2024. Attorney-General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, also a member JCP, also concurred to the opinion. The chairperson of JCP approved the objection.
Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2025
