The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has called for nominations to appoint new high court judges, with the submission deadline set for July 4, sources told The Express Tribune. The commission is considering appointing 10 judges to the Lahore High Court, five to the Sindh High Court, five to the Balochistan High Court, and three to the Islamabad High Court.
Under the updated rules, each JCP member can propose names for judicial appointments until July 4. Commission meetings are anticipated to be scheduled after a 15-day period, likely in the third week of July, sources added.
PTI Boycotts JCP Meeting
Two opposition members from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) boycotted Friday's JCP meeting, where rules regarding judge appointments were approved. They cited concerns over what they described as increasing executive dominance in the decision-making process. PTI Senator Ali Zafar, a JCP member, said party chairman Gohar Ali Khan instructed him not to attend the meeting, though no reason was provided. "I believe that we should have attended this JCP meeting," Senator Zafar remarked.
This boycott highlights a perception of a serious decision-making crisis within PTI due to internal differences over participation in constitutional and parliamentary bodies.
Ruling Coalition's Dominance
On the other hand, ruling coalition partners PML-N and PPP are said to hold a dominant role in the commission's decisions following the passage of the 26th Amendment. Sources further indicated that more than three dozen judges have been confirmed in various high courts during Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi's tenure. However, legal observers note that the chief justice has not developed a clear strategy to reduce executive influence in judicial appointments.
It is also recalled that the transfer of three judges from the Islamabad High Court to other high courts was not halted despite objections.
Role of High Court Chief Justices
Senior lawyers maintain that high court chief justices remain crucial in the appointment process for superior court judges, particularly for ensuring balance and institutional independence. During Friday's JCP meeting, the commission approved a seven-member committee to conduct interviews of nominees and recommended the appointment of high court judges.
However, the JCP deferred the matter regarding the formulation of rules for evaluating the performance of high court judges. It resolved to seek written comments and suggestions from the chief justices and the most senior judges of all high courts—who are members of the commission—within seven days.
