The Judicial Commission of Pakistan has approved the elevation of three high courts judges including Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah to the SC. Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial on Monday presided over the JCP meeting to consider the four nominees including IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah; Lahore High Court judge Justice Shahid Waheed; and two Sindh High Court judges Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shafi Siddiqui.
In the meeting, the JCP unanimously approved elevation of the IHC Chief Justice to the Supreme Court while by majority of five to four deferred the nomination of SHC Judge Shafi Saddiqui.
The JCP by majority five to four votes also approved nominations of LHC Judge Justice Shahid Waheed and SHC Judge Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.
Justice Shahid Waheed is the fourth senior-most judge of the LHC.
Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi is fourth and Justice Shafi Siddiqui is sixth on the SHC judges’ seniority list.
Since February this year, no SC judge has been appointed. CJP Bandial had summoned a meeting of the JCP on July 28 to consider his five nominees, but a consensus could not be evolved among the body’s members.
Once again, three senior SHC judges have been overlooked for their elevation to the SC. This has happened for the third time in the last five years.
