ISLAMABAD (WS News) – Justice Muneeb Akhtar walked out of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan meeting held to review Judicial Commission of Pakistan Rules 2024 for appointment/elevation of judges to superior judiciary.
The commission was debating and reviewing various clauses of the rules when Justice Akhtar suggested postponement of the meeting. Other members of the commission disagreed with him and the judge walked out of the meeting.
The meeting, however, continued after Justice Akhtar’s walk out.
Earlier, the meeting started with Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa in the chair and attended by senior puisne judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, retired Justice Manzoor Malik, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan and other members of the commission.
Four provincial law ministers and senior judges of high courts are also attending the meeting.
This may be noted that the commission wrote a letter to the chief justices of five high courts, requesting them to suggest names of candidates for elevation as additional judges under Rules 2024.
According to sources, two or more judges will be appointed to the Islamabad High Court. Twenty-four judges will be appointed to the Lahore High Court (LHC). At present, 36 judges are working in the LHC whereas the required strength is 60.
The commission will review appointment of 17 judges to the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The posts of judges have been raised to 30 from present 20 by the president. Thirteen judges are serving the PHC.
It may be recalled that the last meeting of the commission was held on May 3. The law minister informed the commission about the federal government’s intention to introduce constitutional amendments to alter the current process for elevating judges.
