Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi is set to lead two important meetings of the Judicial Commission today (Friday). The agenda will cover the appointment of judges to the Sindh and Peshawar High Courts, as well as discussions on the inclusion of Justice Shahid Bilal in the constitutional bench.
The first meeting will focus on appointing 13 candidates to the Sindh High Court, alongside the consideration of three additional session judges and six lawyers for positions at the Peshawar High Court.
The second meeting will address the potential inclusion of Justice Shahid Bilal in the constitutional bench, which is a key matter for judicial proceedings.
Notable attendees include Justices Mansoor Ali Shah, Muneeb Akhtar, Ameenuddin, and Jamal Mandokhel, along with Law Minister, Attorney General, Pakistan Bar Council representative Akhtar Hussain, Senator Farooq H. Naek, Sheikh Aftab, female member Roshan Khurshid, and opposition members Senator Ali Zafar and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
Controversy over the appointment process arose the previous day when Justice Mansoor Ali Shah raised concerns regarding the lack of established rules and criteria for judicial appointments. In letters to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and the Judicial Commission, Justice Shah called for postponing the meetings until proper procedures were in place to ensure transparency and merit in the appointments.
The outcomes of today’s meetings are expected to have significant implications for the judiciary, especially in addressing concerns about procedural reforms and maintaining judicial integrity.
