SC judges appointment: Islamabad Bar for sending matter for review in JCP

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) Wednesday expressed its reservations over the recommendation of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) for the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court.

According to local media, the bar council members in a statement declared the recommendation of the judges for the Supreme Court as contrary to seniority and asked for sending the matter for review in the JCP.

IBC Vice Chairman Syed Qamar Hussain Shah, Chairman Executive Committee Raja Muhammad Aleem Khan and other office-bearers said that lawyers' organisations across the country demanded that seniority should not be ignored in the process of appointing Supreme Court judges.

"The Supreme Court in the Al-Jihad Trust case has laid down the principle of seniority-based appointments for the superior Judiciary,” they added. They were of the view that the Constitution of Pakistan supported that all appointments should be made through a transparent procedure in accordance with the Constitution and law.

“Recommendations for the appointment of junior judges have been made ignoring seniority in Monday's Judicial Commission meeting,” they added in the statement. Protests by lawyers' organisations across the country were also ignored.

The IBC strongly protested against all unconstitutional decisions except Justice Athar Minallah, it added. They welcomed the decision to elevate Chief Justice Athar Minallah of Islamabad High Court to the apex court. They termed his elevation as per the constitutional procedure.