CJP chairs JCP first meeting today

ISLAMABAD: Meeting of Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) will be held in the Supreme Court (SC) today (Tuesday).

This will be the first meeting of the Commission to be presided over by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi after the 26th Constitutional amendment passed recently from both house of the Parliament.

It is expected that during the meeting, the Secretariat of the Judicial Commission will be established besides constituting the constitutional benches of the Supreme Court as well as nomination of judges for these benches.

The meeting of Judicial Commission will be attended by senior judges including Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Attorney General for Pakistan, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar and representative of Pakistan Bar Council Akhtar Hussain

Earlier, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had written a letter and submitted nominations from parliamentary parties to the Supreme Judicial Council on the issue of formation of a Judicial Commission for the appointment of judges to the superior judiciary.

The nominations were made following consultations with Senate chairman and parliamentary leaders. Ayaz Sadiq’s nominations include members from both the National Assembly and Senate.

From PTI Omar Ayub while Sheikh Aftab form PML-N will represent the National Assembly in the Judicial Commission. Similarly, Farooq H Naek from Pakistan People’s Party and Shibli Faraz will represent the Senate in the Judicial Commission.

Likewise, Roshan Khursheed Bharucha has been nominated on the women's seat in the Commission as per the 26th Constitutional Amendment, allowing five members from the Parliament to join the Judicial Commission, with equal representation from the government and opposition. As per the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the strength of the Judicial Commission is of 13 members. The Judicial Commission is mandated to appoint judges to the Supreme Court, high courts, and the Federal Shariat Court (FSC).