SHC CJ flays govt for snubbing picks for NAB court judges

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh admonished the federal law secretary for ignoring the court’s recommended names for vacant posts of judges at Karachi’s accountability courts and gave him two weeks to finalise candidates for the purpose.

“Under which rule have you neglected our recommended names and included your favourites? Who are you that you will appoint judges of your own choice?” asked Justice Shaikh while hearing a petition regarding vacant posts of judges, here on Tuesday.

“Issue the notification regarding hiring of the judges in two weeks or else you will be responsible for the consequences,” he ordered. “You are a former judge but still unaware of the law,” the chief justice remarked.

The judge asked the law secretary if “we should call the President of Pakistan and consult with him”. He also angrily remarked that the federation “wants to exercise its influence over the province”.

The chief justice added that there were 350 pending references in the aforementioned accountability courts. “If you won’t appoint judges, we will start giving bails to the accused,” he warned. Justice Shaikh then directed the secretary to finalise names of judges for appointment within two weeks. It is pertinent to mention here the SHC chief justice had sent two names to the government in connection with the appointment of judges in accountability courts, while the federal government sent two names of its choice to the chief justice instead.