Shaukat Siddiqui, Maqbool Baqar among retired judges elected as JCP members

Four retired judges, including Justice (retd) Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, were elected as members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) during a meeting of the top judicial appointments body on Friday, said sources privy to the matter.      

The development came during the JCP meeting held with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi in the chair.

The JCP meeting also picked Justice (retd) Mian Shakirullah Jan of the Peshawar High Court and Justice (retd) Nazir Ahmed Lango of the Balochistan High Court as its members.

Chaired by CJP Afridi, the meeting lasted for over two hours, during which matters related to the elevation of two high court judges to the Supreme Court were discussed, the sources added.

The JCP meeting decided to elevate Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Ali Baqar Najafi to the top court by a 9-4 majority vote. Four members of the JCP, including the CJP and Senior puisne Judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, opposed his elevation.

During his interaction with journalists following the JCP meeting, Advocate Ahsan Bhawan said: “For the first time after the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the government and the opposition made decisions by consensus.”

He added that the JCP meeting was held in a “pleasant atmosphere”, adding that nine members of the body voted for the elevation of Justice Najafi.

An upcoming meeting of the JCP, which is expected to be held on April 18, will consider nominations for the appointment of chief justices of Islamabad High Court, Sindh High Court (SHC), Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Balochistan High Court (BHC).