PPP’s Farooq Naek quits Judicial Commission

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farooq H. Naek has resigned from the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), the constitutional body responsible for appointments to the superior judiciary.

Naek confirmed his resignation on Wednesday. He said he stepped down because of personal commitments.

In a letter addressed to Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Naek thanked the government for appointing him to the commission from the treasury benches.

He described his tenure on the JCP as a great honour and privilege.

Naek had taken part in several commission proceedings involving the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and high courts.

The senior PPP leader is also a prominent lawyer with extensive experience in constitutional and political cases. Over the years, he has represented senior PPP figures in several important legal matters.

Naek represented PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari before the Supreme Court in a presidential reference related to the murder of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

He has also appeared before the Supreme Court in cases involving reserved seats, accountability laws, presidential immunity and disputes concerning provincial assemblies.

Naek has remained associated with the PPP for around three decades. He gained national prominence as a lawyer while defending former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari in corruption and criminal cases during the rule of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

He later served as federal law minister and represented the government in a major corruption case involving Zardari.

In 2012, Naek wrote to Swiss legal authorities following directions from the Supreme Court in connection with the National Reconciliation Ordinance case. The move sought the reopening of proceedings related to the case.

Naek has served as a senator from Sindh since 2003. He became federal law minister after the 2008 general elections.

He was later appointed chairman of the Senate. He returned to the federal cabinet as law minister in April 2012 after completing his three-year term as Senate chairman.