Zubair Qureshi
The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has approved names of two prominent lawyers of Islamabad, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri and Babar Sattar Advocate as ad hoc judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for a period of one year.
The decision was taken in the meeting of the JCP chaired by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and attended by senior judges of the Supreme Court, the IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, senior puisne judge of the IHC Aamer Farooq and Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan.
After the JCP’s nod, these names would now be placed before the Parliamentary Committee (PC) and according to sources the PC’s approval is just a formality and apparently, there is no hurdle in the way of the two popular as well as learned advocates of Islamabad becoming the judges of the IHC.
Both Jahangiri and Sattar are the choice of IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah for the coveted posts and their nomination has been welcomed by the lawyers of the twin cities who were earlier demanding judges of the IHC should be the practicing lawyers of the Islamabad Bars and residents of the federal capital.
Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri is a prominent member of the Islamabad High Court Bar. He was also a candidate for the Islamabad Bar before his nomination for the IHC, said a member of the IHC Bar while talking to Pakistan Observer.
Earlier, he has served as Deputy Prosecutor General of NAB and Advocate General of Islamabad which is regarded as a post equal to the judge of the high court, he further said adding Jahangiri’s legal acumen and qualification are above board.
About Babar Sattar too, lawyers’ community expressed positive comments. With his elevation to the IHC, quality of judicial dispensation, particularly in writing of judgments, will improve, which we have been missing for sometime, said another lawyer requesting not to be named. A graduate of Oxford University, Babar Sattar will also prove a good addition in the IHC, he said. Babar Sattar is also known for his articles in English newspapers and for his impartial and mature analysis of the national issues.
Already the antecedents committee headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and the professional committee under Justice Mushir Alam had met to consider the nominations for the IHC and given approval of their names.
