Daily Times

In a major development, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has summoned maiden meeting of the 13-member Judicial Commission of Pakistan on November 5 (Tuesday) at 2:00 in the Supreme Court of Pakistan to discuss nomination of judges for constitutional benches in the Supreme Court.

The development came hours after the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq nominated four parliamentarians from the upper and lower houses, along with one woman, for the JCP, making a total of five nominations.

The NA speaker sent the names for the 13-member commission through a letter to the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC).

According to a notification issued by the JCP secretary, the commission’s meeting would be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday (November 5) in the SC building.

The agenda of the meeting includes establishment of the secretariat of the commission, nomination of judges for the constitutional benches in the top court and any other matter with the permission of the chairman of the Commission.

The commission’s Chairman CJP Yahya Afridi, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Khan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmad, ex-senator Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, Law Minister Senator Chaudhry Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney-General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, senior Advocate Supreme Court Akhtar Hussain, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz and MNA Omer Ayub Khan would attend the key huddle of the body.

The list issued by the JCP comprised 12 names, however, senior most member of constitutional bench will also be included in the top judicial body after its formation in line with the 26th Amendment. The notification has been issued by the Secretary, Judicial Commission of Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the commission was reconstituted following the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment and will now include members of the parliament.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmed and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan have been nominated from the lower house for the commission.

Whereas, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, Leader of Opposition in Senate Syed Shibli Faraz and a former member of the Senate, Roshan Khursheed Barocha, have been nominated. Both, Ayub and Shibli, belong to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The NA spokesperson said all the nominations were sent to the JCP secretary. The official said five members, including four parliamentarians, were incorporated into the JCP under the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

The government and opposition have equal representation in the names sent from the parliament for the commission, the official said, adding that all the names were received by the Supreme Court.

The names of two senators were nominated by Senate Chairman Makhdoom Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, under Article 175-A of the Constitution, on advice of the Leader of the Senate senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and the Opposition Leader Syed Shibli Faraz.