Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput as Chief Justice of SHC, Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mullakhel as Chief Justice of BHC approved
ISLAMABAD:
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Tuesday recommended the appointment of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb as a permanent judge of the Supreme Court by a majority, according to an official statement.
The meeting, held under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chairman Judicial Commission Justice Yahya Afridi, also unanimously recommended Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput as the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court and Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mullakhel as the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court.
Justice Aurangzeb is currently serving as Acting Justice of the Supreme Court. Sources said the names of three senior judges were considered for permanent appointment to the Supreme Court: Justice Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.
For the post of Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, the commission shortlisted three senior judges: Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, who is currently serving as Acting Chief Justice; Justice Iqbal Kalhoro; and Justice Mahmood Khan.
Justice Muhammad Kamran Mullakhel is currently appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court.
The JCP also formed a five-member majority committee to formulate rules, the statement said. The rules committee includes Justice Aamir Farooq of the Federal Constitutional Court, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, Senator Farooq Naek, senior advocates Ali Zafar and Ahsan Bhoon.
Besides, a committee of judges was formed to finalize the rules of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), headed by Justice Jamal Mandokhail. Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi and Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum also participated as members of the committee, sources said. The committee will make recommendations to the board regarding changes to the SJC rules.
This is the first formal meeting of the JCP regarding appointments to the higher judiciary after the 27th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan. On November 18, three judicial forums were reconstituted under the amendment, including the JCP, the SJC and the Practice and Procedure Act (PAPA) committee under the SC.
The JCP is the constitutional body that retains the power to elevate judges to higher courts. The SJC, for its part, hears complaints filed against superior court judges in light of alleged misconduct. The PAPA committee of the SC forms benches and lists the cases.
