ISLAMABAD:
While Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has convened meetings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to consider the appointment of additional judges in the high courts, PPP Senator Farooq H Naek has proposed 33 candidates for appointment in the four high courts.
The move has reignited debate over the party’s growing influence in judicial appointments following the 26th constitutional amendment, with some wondering whether the PPP will again gain a significant share in upcoming judicial appointments, as it did in recent appointments to the higher judiciary after the constitutional changes.
During the tenure of former CJP Abdul Hameed Dogar, the PPP managed to secure the appointment of several lawyers considered loyal to the party in the higher judiciary. However, many of these appointments were invalidated by the SC judgment of July 31, 2009.
After the restoration of the judicial system in March 2009, the PPP remained the target of judicial activism. However, after the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the party once again became an influential player in the judicial nomination process.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) remains the only high court with constitutional benches.
In November 2024, the PPP successfully supported the appointment of Justice KK Agha to head the constitutional benches of the SHC through the JCP. Eight judges senior to Justice Agha were bypassed, although he ranked ninth on the SHC seniority list.
The PPP also played a key role in the appointment of other members of the SHC constitutional benches. Last year, the party also managed to secure appointment of judges in different high courts including SHC, Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Lahore High Court (LHC).
Following the 27th Constitutional Amendment, Justice KK Agha was elevated to the new Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). Today, as the JCP calls for applications for new appointments to the high courts, PPP’s top legal officer and JCP member Farooq H Naek has submitted 33 names for consideration.
Among the proposed names, 16 are for the SHC, 10 for the LHC, five for the Balochistan High Court (BHC) and two for the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
For the SHC, Naek proposed the names of Dr Ambreen (District and Sessions Judge, Karachi West), Ghulam Shah (District and Sessions Judge, Hyderabad), Shazia Hanjrah (Supreme Court Advocate), Mohsin Shahwani, Advocate Zulfiqar Jalbani (ASC), Advocate Jamshed Malik (ASC), Advocate Sandeep Malani, Nasrullah Korai (ASC), Qazi Muhammad Bashir (ASC), Dr Shahnawaz Memon (ASC), Samiullah Soomro (ASC), Barrister Baloch Ahmed Junejo (ASC), Ali Raza Khan (ASC), Mukesh Kumar G Karara, Ali Gul Abbasi and Muhammad Rashid Khan Mahar (ASC).
For the LHC, Naek recommended Asad Mahmood Abbasi, Danyal Ijaz, Nawazish Pirzada, Saqib Jillani, Ashfaq Ahmed Kharal, Mian Wasim Shahabi, Muhammad Sajid Khan Tanoli, Mughees Aslam Malik, Chaudhry Sarfaraz Ali Deyal and Muhammad Shahzad Khan.
For the BHC, the proposed names are Rehmatullah, Syed Yahoor Agha, Bairam Khan, Naseer Ahmed Bangulzai and Muhammad Saleem Lashari. For the IHC, Naek nominated Qamar Hussain Sabzwari and Syed Intikhab Shah.
The JCP is scheduled to meet on July 20 to consider nominations to the IHC, while the meeting for LHC nominations will take place on July 21.
