Every JCP member may now help promote transparency, integrity of justice system: SHC CJ

Chief Justice Sindh High Court Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui on Wednesday said the criteria for appointments of judges have been changed after the 26th amendment, and now we are in a regime under which every member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan is entitled to nominate a candidate for appointment as a high court judge.

Addressing the annual dinner of the Sindh High Court Bar Association and responding to the SHCBA’s concern about consultation with the bar on appointments of judges, the chief justice said representation of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Sindh Bar Council on the JCP was also ensured as regards the consultation process for appointments of judges to high courts.

He said he is sure that every member of the judicial commission now can contribute to promoting the transparency and integrity of justice system as well as of the high court. Chief Justice Siddiqui said that after taking the oath as chief justice he had a vision for the modernisation and expansion of the judiciary in human resource and infrastructure.

He said that during his four-and-a-half months’ tenure, 18 additional district and sessions judges have been promoted to the position of district and sessions judges, 30 senior civil judges have been promoted as ADJs, and 40 civil judges and magistrates have been promoted to senior civil judges and magistrates. He said the process of direct appointments of ADJs has been approved that was last advertised in 2022 and was being executed.

The SHC chief justice further said that rules have been notified requiring two years’ experience for eligibility for appointment as civil judge and judicial magistrate. He said judicial officers and staff of the high court were also recommended for promotion from grade 19 to grade 20 as there was no such record of such promotion having taken place in the past 20 years.

He said recommendations were made for the promotion of junior court associates, senior translators, senior office associates as court associates and assistant registrars at the principal seat as well as for Sukkur, Hyderabad and Larkana.

He also high highlighted the infrastructure development in Sindh’s judiciary, including the construction of a modern residential facility, a library and a museaum, establishment of new courts in the old annex building of the SHC and the establishment of a media room in the new building of the high court. SHCBA President Rehan Aziz Malik and Secretary Mohammad Sarfaraz Ali Metlo also spoke on the occasion.