Justice Wajihuddin opposes proposal to increase SC judges

PESHAWAR: A dissident leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Justice (R), Wajihuddin Ahmed on Saturday opposed the proposal to increase the number of judges from 17 to 27 at the Supreme Court.

He was addressing a convention of Insaf Lawyers Forum at the Judicial Complex here. PTI Chairman Imran Khan has suspended the party membership of Justice (R) Wajihuddin recently.

Some PTI leaders had said Wajihuddin will be attending events in Peshawar in his personal capacity.  “By increasing the number of judges, the government wants judgments of its choice,” Wajihuddin said.

A Senate committee has given the proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court judges. The former judge and other speakers alleged that the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa appointed law officers on different government posts in violation of merit.

He alleged that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was the chief executive of his native Nowshera district having no  concern with the rest of the province. 

Peshawar High Court Bar Association President Fida Gul, Peshawar Bar Association President Ismail Khalil, Insaf Lawyers Forum President Hidayatullah Khan and senior lawyer Qazi Mohammad Anwar were present on the occasion.

The participants also criticised the appointment of provincial secretary law Mohammad Arifeen, who was not a law graduate.  They demanded that he should be replaced with a law graduate.

The convention also opposed the recently enacted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Law Officers Appointment Act and demanded that it should be revoked.