Tension mounts over judge’s nomination to Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: The recommendation of elevation of a judge of Sindh High Court to Supreme Court by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has intensified the situation in legal fraternity, as the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) is going to take into confidence bar councils and associations across the country to evolve future course of strategy against the nomination of judge.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan on July 28 recommended the elevation of Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, a junior Sindh High Court (SHC) judge, to the Supreme Court amid protest by the apex regulatory body of lawyers, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC).

The council had announced complete strike from all the courts throughout the country for 28th July 2021 as a mark of complete protest and exceptions to the elevation of a junior judge by ignoring four senior Judges of the same High Court as well as the principle of seniority as enshrined in various landmark Judgments of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

“We have convened a meeting of lawyers representatives of the country including bar councils as well as bar association on August 4 to develop consensus for evolving future course of strategy against the elevation of the SHC judge to Supreme Court”, Khushdil Khan, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), told The News on Saturday.

He said all the bar councils and bar associations including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) will be taken into confidence on the future course of strategy against the recommendation of Judicial Commission of Pakistan. “What proposals and recommendations given by the lawyer’s representatives on August 4 will be fully implemented in letter and spirit”, he said.