ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has fixed for hearing on Thursday (today) a petition challenging the alleged delay by the president, Asif Ali Zardari, in approving the summary for the appointment of judges to the high courts.
IHC Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir will hear the petition, filed through counsel on behalf of Advocate Luqman Zafar by Advocate Zahid Asif Chaudhry. The registrar’s office has allotted a number to the petition.
The petitioner has requested the court to direct the president, through his secretary, to approve the summary relating to the appointment of judges.
According to the petition, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), in its meetings held on July 20 and 21, recommended the appointment of judges to various high courts.
It said the commission had recommended the appointment of 19 judges, but the summary has yet to receive the president’s approval.
On July 21, the PPP failed to secure approval for any of its preferred nominees for appointment as high court judges, as the JCP cleared 19 appointments and confirmations across four high courts during meetings chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi.
The commission met in separate sessions to consider appointments to the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Sindh High Court (SHC), the IHC and the Balochistan High Court (BHC), while also taking up proposed amendments to the JCP (Appointment of Judges) Rules, 2024.
According to sources, more than 70 names were placed before the commission by its members. PPP’s senior legal leader and JCP member Senator Farooq H Naek proposed 33 candidates, including 16 for the SHC, 10 for the LHC, five for the BHC and two for the IHC.
However, insiders told The Express Tribune that none of the PPP’s preferred nominees secured the commission’s approval.
