- Four HC judges ask verbal questions about post-retirement benefits.
- Find out when retirement benefits will be due.
- Two of the four judges will become eligible for a pension next month, in December.
ISLAMABAD: Following the controversial 27th constitutional amendment, allowing the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to transfer High Court judges from one province to another without their consent, fresh indications have emerged that up to four High Court judges may be considering resigning.
Well-placed sources said News that these four judges recently contacted the accounts department of their respective High Courts to obtain detailed information on their post-retirement rights.
Their questions, all made verbally, focus on retirement benefits, the exact dates those benefits become due in two of the cases, the status of their accrued leave balances and the depreciated value of the official vehicles they currently use if they choose to purchase them now.
According to sources, these investigations have triggered strong speculation within judicial circles that the four judges – already on the government’s list for transfer after the passage of the 27th Amendment – are actively considering the possibility of resigning instead of being reassigned to new provinces or regions.
Two of the four judges will become eligible for a pension in the next month, December 2025, leaving uncertainty over the timing of any decision. “If they choose to resign, it is still unclear whether they will resign immediately or after they are eligible for retirement benefits,” a source said, adding: “Even if they resign, it is unclear whether they will proceed collectively or one by one.”
The development comes as the government plans to overhaul the judiciary in the wake of the 27th Amendment, which government circles say is necessary to address the conduct of some judges who, in their view, have “brought disrepute” to the judiciary.
Others, however, believe that the 27th Amendment has seriously undermined the independence of the judiciary and in such a situation it is difficult for “independent-minded” judges to continue.
Although the Judicial Commission of Pakistan is constitutionally empowered to appoint and transfer judges, the current constitution of the JCP government appears to be an advantage.
Originally published in The News
