ISLAMABAD:
As Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has convened meetings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) to consider appointments of additional judges to the High Courts, PPP Senator Farooq H Naek has proposed 33 candidates for appointment to the four High Courts.
This move has reignited debate over the party’s growing influence on post-26th constitutional amendment judicial appointments, with some asking whether the PPP will again secure a significant stake in future judicial appointments, as it has done in recent post-constitutional appointments to the Supreme Judiciary.
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 supreme judiciary. However, many of these appointments were invalidated through the SC judgment of 31 July 2009.
After the restoration of the judiciary in March 2009, the PPP remained on the receiving end of judicial activism. However, following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the party has re-emerged as an influential player in the process of judicial appointments.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) remains the only high court with constitutional benches.
In November 2024, the PPP successfully supported the nomination of Justice KK Agha as the head of the constitutional benches of the SHC through the JCP. Eight judges senior to Justice Agha were bypassed even though he ranked ninth on the SHC seniority list.
The PPP also played a key role in the appointment of other members of the constitutional benches of the SHC. Last year, the party also succeeded in securing the appointment of judges in various high courts, notably the SHC, Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Lahore High Court (LHC).
After the 27th constitutional amendment, Justice KK Agha was elevated to the newly created Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). Now, with the JCP inviting nominations for new appointments to the high court, PPP senior legal head and JCP member Farooq H Naek has submitted 33 names for consideration.
Of the proposed names, 16 are for SHC, 10 for LHC, five for Balochistan High Court (BHC) and two for Islamabad High Court (IHC).
To 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, Barrister Zulfiqar Jalbani (ASC), Barrister Jamshed Barrister Sandai, (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 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 Khanzad.
For BHC, the proposed names are Rehmatullah, Syed Yahoor Agha, Bairam Khan, Naseer Ahmed Bangulzai and Muhammad Saleem Lashari. For the IHC, Naek has nominated Qamar Hussain Sabzwari and Syed Intikhab Shah.
The JCP is scheduled to meet on 20 July to consider appointments to the IHC, while the meeting for appointments to the LHC will be held on 21 July.
