The Islamabad Bar Council has asked the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) for a review of the decision to elevate junior judges in the Supreme Court (SC).
The members of the Islamabad Bar Council have stated that the recommendation of judges for the Supreme Court has been contrary to the seniority principle demanding a review of that.
Vice Chairman Islamabad Bar Council Syed Qamar Hussain Shah, Chairman Executive Committee Raja Muhammad Aleem Khan and other office-bearers have said that it was the demand of lawyer organizations across Pakistan that the seniority principle should not be ignored.
They said that in the Al-Jihad Trust case the seniority principle for appointments was laid down for appointments in the superior judiciary; further adding that during the meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Monday the seniority was ignored by recommending junior judges.
The JCP approved the elevation of high court judges to the Supreme Court on Monday. Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Shahid Waheed of the Lahore High Court and Justice Hasan Rizvi of the Sindh High Court had been recommended.
The Supreme Court is short of five judges, at present. The total number of judges that can be appointed in the apex court is 17.
According to reports, CJ IHC Justice Minallah’s name was proposed unanimously whereas a 5-4 ratio had recommended the names of Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Hasan Rizvi.
According to a media report, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Mansoor Ali Shah, and Akhtar Hussain, representative of the Pakistan Bar Council, had opposed the elevation of Justice Shahid Waheed and Hasan Azhar Rizvi.
