ISLAMABAD:
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has by majority approved the confirmation of three additional judges — Inaam Ameen Minhas, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Azam Khan — as permanent judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The commission also approved – by majority – the confirmation of Justice Najam-ud-Din Mengal as a permanent judge of the Balochistan High Court (BHC). However, he did not confirm the services of Justice Muhammad Ayub Khan, who is no longer serving as a BHC judge.
On Monday, three meetings of the JCP were held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, with various compositions, in the conference hall of the Supreme Court building.
The meetings were convened to deliberate on key institutional and policy issues, in addition to making recommendations for the confirmation of additional IHC and BHC judges.
In the first meeting, the principal committee constituted under Article 175A (2) of the Constitution considered issues relating to criteria for appointment of judges to constitutional benches of high courts.
It also reviewed the procedure for interviewing candidates for judicial appointments and the amendment of the JCP (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024, regarding appointments to the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC).
After deliberations, the commission authorized the committee to examine these matters in detail and submit recommendations to it regarding the interview procedure and amendments to the rules, ensuring effective and transparent implementation of the constitutional framework.
The committee headed by Justice Aamer Farooq will examine the issues and frame the rules.
At the second meeting, the commission considered the confirmation of three additional IHC judges. Sources said that during the deliberations on Justice Asif’s confirmation, the road accident in which his son ran his car over two girls in Islamabad in December 2025 was also discussed.
IHC Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar informed the commission members about the incident. Sources said IHC Principal Puisne Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani appreciated that Justice Muhammad Asif did not use his office or position to influence any civil servant to get relief for his son.
In the third meeting, opposition was registered to the permanent appointment of Justice Muhammad Ayub Khan of the BHC. Sources said two JCP members affiliated with the PTI, Barrister Gohar and Barrister Ali Zafar, did not attend the meeting.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Haroon-ur-Rashid along with members of his office inaugurated the Advocates on Record (AOR) and Litigants Facilitation Center at the SC premises. The ceremony was attended by CJP Afridi and other SC judges.
The newly established center was established to provide structured facilitation to attorneys of record, enabling them to effectively guide and assist litigants in matters relating to procedural requirements, filing of cases, documentation and other ancillary matters.
The initiative is a citizen-focused, one-stop walk-in service, designed using a person-centered service delivery model, aimed at strengthening institutional responsiveness and improving the overall experience of litigants at the SC.
The Registered Advocates and Litigants Facilitation Center is expected to serve as an effective interface between litigants, lawyers and the court administration, thereby contributing to a more responsive, transparent and efficient justice sector, a statement said.
