Chief Justice of Pakistan nominates judges for Supreme Court

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, has put forward a list of nine judges from the Lahore and Sindh high courts to potentially fill three vacant seats in the Supreme Court. The Lahore High Court has recommended six senior judges, including Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, Justice Shahid Bilal, and Justice Abdul Abid Aziz Sheikh, for two positions in the Supreme Court. On the other hand, the Sindh High Court has nominated Justice Aqeel Abbasi, Justice Shafi Siddiqui, and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto for one seat in the apex court.

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is scheduled to convene on June 7 to evaluate the nine nominees. The JCP, overseen by the Chief Justice, is tasked with recommending judicial appointments to the Supreme Court, high courts, and Shariat court. Additionally, there is an ongoing proposal to revise the rules governing judges' appointments to the Supreme Court, proposed by JCP member Akhtar Hussain from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and former JCP member Advocate Amjad Farooq Khattak.

The nomination of judges from the Lahore and Sindh high courts to potentially fill vacancies in the Supreme Court marks a significant step in the judicial appointment process. The upcoming meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan to review the nominees underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in the selection of judges for the highest court in the country.