The Judicial Commission of Pakistan, chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, has commenced its meeting to deliberate on the appointment of eight new judges to the Supreme Court. The commission is reviewing nominations from senior judges across high courts in all four provinces and Islamabad.
Prominent names under consideration from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) include Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.
From the Lahore High Court (LHC), Justice Aalia Neelam, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, and Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan are being considered.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) nominations include Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice S. M. Attique Shah, Justice Arshad Ali, and Justice Shakeel Ahmad.
From the Sindh High Court (SHC), Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, and Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro are under review.
Lastly, the Balochistan High Court (BHC) has nominated Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Justice Muhammad Ejaz Swati, Justice Zaheer-ud-Din Kakar, and Justice Abdullah Baloch for consideration.
The commission’s decision is crucial as it will shape the future composition of the Supreme Court, impacting the judiciary’s functioning and credibility in Pakistan. The appointments come amidst tensions and protests from the legal community, who have raised concerns over transparency and representation in judicial appointments.
