Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) recommended the names of four additional judges of Lahore High Court (LHC) for confirmation. The commission also recommended three names of additional judges in Peshawar High Court (PHC) for confirmation.

Similarly, the JCP also proposed the name of Nazeer Lagu for his appointment in Balochistan High Court (BHC) as additional judge. JCP on Monday held its meeting at the main building of Supreme Court with Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali in the chair.

Senior judges of the top court, chief justices of LHC, PHC and BHC also attended the meeting along with Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid and other members of the commission. Sources told Daily Times that recommendations of LHC’s four additional judges for confirmation include Justice Khalid Mahmood Malik, Justice Mushtaq Ahmad, Justice Masood Abid Naqvi and Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal. The tenure of these judges was being ended on November 7.

Likewise the recommendations for confirmation of PHC’s three additional judges include Justice Muhammad Younas Thaheem, Justice Qalandar Ali Khan and Justice Muhammad Ghazanfar Khan. However, the commission has refused to extend the job’s tenure of Justice Haider Ali.

Tenure of Justice Thaheem would be completed in 2018 while Justice Ghazanfar and Justice Qalandar would retire in 2019. Justice Haider was supposed to retire in 2026; however, he would no more be holding the seat in PHC as his name is not recommended for confirmation. However, the commission has postponed the matter of 14 fresh appointments as additional judges in LHC till November 3.

According to a statement issued from the office of Supreme Court’s spokesperson, the JCP deliberated upon the list of nominees against the vacancies initiated by LHC’s chief justice for elevation as additional judges. According to statement, during the course of the meeting, JCP observed that in order to select the best persons, some additional names may be added to the list of nominations already recommended by the LHC’s chief justice.

The matter was therefore, adjourned for November 3, 2016 to consider fresh nominations as well as the list of nominees already submitted by LHC chief justice. So far the 16 nominees for appointment on the 14 posts of additional judges in LHC include six district and sessions judges and 10 lawyers.

The six district and session judges include Sohail Nasir, Abdul Sattar, Tariq Iftikhar Ahmad, Habibullah Amir, Mujahid Mustaqim Ahmad and Abdid Hussain Quraishi.

Similarly, names of 10 lawyers include Asjad Javed Goraal, Tariq Saleem Sheikh, Muhammad Bashir Paracha, Ahmad Raza Gilani, Jawwad Hassan, Muhammad Akhtar Bashir, Muddasir Khalid Abbasi, Abdul Rehman Aurangzeb, Agha Muhammad Ali Khan and Chaudhry Abdul Aziz.