Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government appears to be under tremendous pressure to support a bill drafted by the parliamentary committee on appointment of judges to superior courts, sources told Daily Times on Wednesday.

Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid has sought 15-day time from the parliamentary committee for consultations with the party top brass. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would decide after consultations whether to support or oppose the bill, which would empower the parliamentary committee to appoint judges to superior courts.

The parliamentary committee, which met here with Farooq Naek in the chair, finalised the draft of the bill, the sources said. Under the bill, article 175 (A) of the constitution will be amended to change the criteria currently being followed for appointment of judges.

Naek told this correspondent that the proposed bill would empower the parliamentary committee to have the final say in the appointment of the judges to the superior courts.

At the moment, the Judicial Commission can overturn any decision taken by the parliamentary committee.

Naek said that under the proposed bill the parliamentary committee would take ultimate decision on appointment of a judge to a superior court.

Moreover, a five-member initiation committee will be constituted for each high court to nominate the judges. The committee will consist of the chief justice of the high court, two judges of the high court, advocate general of the province and a representative of lawyers. The committee will nominate additional judges for high courts.

Naek said the parliamentary committee had finalised the draft of the bill and asked the government to bring it to the parliament at the earliest. “The law minister has sought 15-day time for consultations with the party leadership,” he said. The committee has asked the law minister to take a decision before July 18, he added.

Naek said the committee would take its own decision if the government doesn’t agree to bring the proposed bill to the parliament. “If the government doesn’t agree to support our bill then the committee members will introduce it by themselves as a private member’s bill,” he maintained.

The members of the parliamentary committee will sign the bill and introduce it in the upper house of the parliament as a private bill.

Sources said the government had yet to decide whether to support the bill or keep a distance from it. “It is likely that the PML-N will buy some time, but it will ultimately support the bill to empower the parliamentary committee with regard to appointment of judges to superior courts,” the sources said.

The parliamentary committee would now meet on July 18 to consider government’s response to the proposed bill.