The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday barred Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from appointing judges in Gilgit-Baltistan. A two-member bench comprising Justice Sayed Mazahar Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued the stay order while hearing a petition filed by the GB chief minister against the appointment of the judges in the region. During the hearing, the attorney general sought one-week time to submit the federal government’s response in the case. However, GB chief minister’s counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan opposed the plea, arguing that the case had been pending for one year, but the federal government continued to appoint the judges. At one point, Justice Ahsan asked who had the authority to make appointments in GB. In reply, the attorney general said the appointments were made by the prime minister. After hearing the arguments, the bench barred the premier from appointing judges in GB and issued a stay order on the petition till announcement of the verdict. The apex court also issued notices to the judges appointed to the Supreme Appellate Court through its registrar and adjourned the hearing till March 15.