ISLAMABAD:
While Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi convened meetings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to consider appointments of additional judges to the high courts, PPP Senator Farooq H Naek proposed 33 candidates for appointment to the four high courts.
This 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 once again gain a significant share in upcoming judicial appointments, as it has done 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 a Supreme Court ruling of July 31, 2009.
Following the restoration of the judiciary in March 2009, the PPP remained at the receiving end of judicial activism. However, following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the party has once again emerged as an influential player in the judicial appointments process.
The Sindh High Court remains the only high court with constitutional courts.
In November 2024, the PPP successfully endorsed the appointment of Justice KK Agha as the head of the SHC constitutional courts through the JCP. Eight judges senior to Justice Agha were ignored, although he was ranked ninth in the SHC seniority list.
The PPP also played a key role in the appointment of other members of the SHC’s constitutional courts. Last year, the party also managed to get judges appointed to different high courts, particularly the SHC, Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Lahore High Court (LHC).
Following the 27th Constitutional Amendment, Justice KK Agha was elevated to the newly created Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). With the PCJ now inviting nominations for fresh appointments to the high courts, PPP legal leader and PCJ member Farooq H Naek has submitted 33 names for consideration.
Of 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 has 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), the 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 has 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 appointments to the IHC, while the meeting for appointments to the LHC will be held on July 21.
