PBC for appointing CJs of SC, AJK high court

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has expressed serious concerns over what it called deliberate delay in making permanent appointments of Chief Justices of Supreme Court as well as the High Court of AJK, by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, in his capacity as Chairman of the AJK Council.

Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Abdi Saqi urged Prime Minister of Pakistan to immediately appoint senior most Judge of the Supreme Court and that of the High Court of AJK, as permanent Chief Justices of the AJK Supreme Court and the High Court.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Abid Saqi said that as per relevant provisions of the Constitution whenever the office of Chief Justice of AJK Supreme Court or that of the High Court, falls vacant the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court, as the case may be, is appointed against the vacant office.

But it is ironical that after retirement of Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and High Court of AJK, no permanent appointment against said offices, has as yet been made despite laps of a considerable long time and instead, as an ad-hoc arrangement, Acting Chief Justices have been appointed against both the august offices, which not only negate the spirit of the Constitution but also undermines the principle of the independent judiciary,” the PBC Vice Chairman said.

He said that the legal fraternity has always opposed such ad-hoc arrangements in respect of judicial appointments.