Appointment to SC from high courts: Lawyers want adherence to seniority principle

PESHAWAR: A convention of the lawyers from across the country on Saturday passed a resolution, asking the judicial commission to strictly adhere to the seniority principle in judicial appointment to the Supreme Court of Pakistan from the High Courts until fair, transparent criteria for the appointments was made in consultation with all the stakeholders.

The All Pakistan Lawyers Convention was held in Peshawar.

Top lawyers, including heads of various bodies from all over the country, attended the convention.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Abdul Latif Afridi, Pakistan Bar Council Vice-Chairman Khushdil Khan, Pakistan Bar Council Chairman executive Mohammad Faheem Wali, KP Bar Council Vice-Chairman Naeem Uddin, Peshawar High Court Bar Association President Behlol Khattak and Peshawar Bar Association President Amjad Ali Marwat also attended the event.

The convention unanimously passed a resolution which said that appointments to the Supreme Court must be made on the principle of seniority.

The convention through a resolution upheld its consistent stance regarding the control and curtailment of the exercise of the judicial discretion in relation to the appointment of judges, unilateral power of constitution of benches and fixation of cases as well as initiating suo moto proceedings that has been instrumental in causing untoward delays in decisions of cases.

The convention asked the same needs to be brought under a system of rules and regulation for the benefit of the litigants and general public.

The convention appreciated the Standing Committee on Law and Justice of the National Assembly for agreeing to withdraw the controversial amendments bill by addition of Section 5 (D) in the legal practitioners and Bar Council Act 1973.

The convention through the resolution demanded the government to withdraw a proposed law to control the media in the form of the Pakistan Media Development Authority Act to put a curb on their independence.