JCP opens high court appointments process as PTI boycotts key meeting

According to sources, the commission is expected to fill several vacant positions across the judiciary, including 10 seats in the Lahore High Court, five in the Sindh

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has formally begun the process of appointing new judges to the country’s high courts, inviting nominations from its members until July 4.

According to sources, the commission is expected to fill several vacant positions across the judiciary, including 10 seats in the Lahore High Court, five in the Sindhu High Court, five in the Balochistan High Court, and three in the Islamabad High Court.

Under the recently approved framework, members of the commission can submit names for consideration by the deadline. Meetings to review and finalize nominations are likely to take place in the third week of July after a mandatory review period.

The latest JCP meeting, however, witnessed political disagreement as two representatives affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stayed away from the session. The party has expressed concerns over what it views as growing executive influence in the judicial appointment process.

PTI Senator Ali Zafar, who is also a member of the commission, revealed that party leadership instructed him not to participate in the meeting. While he acknowledged the directive, he maintained that attending the session would have been the better course of action.

Observers believe the boycott reflects wider differences within PTI regarding participation in constitutional and parliamentary institutions. Meanwhile, government allies are considered to hold significant influence in the commission following constitutional changes introduced through the 26th Amendment.

Sources indicate that more than three dozen judges have been appointed to various high courts during the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi. However, legal experts argue that concerns remain about maintaining judicial independence and limiting executive involvement in the selection process.

During the meeting, the commission approved the formation of a seven-member committee tasked with interviewing candidates and recommending appointments. A decision on rules for assessing the performance of high court judges was postponed, with the commission seeking written feedback from chief justices and senior judges of all high courts within seven days.