Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has taken leave for personal reasons and will not be part of any Supreme Court bench this week. Despite his absence, sources suggest that the CJP will remain in Islamabad during this period.
In the meantime, three Supreme Court judges—Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi—have written a letter to CJP Afridi and Justice Aminuddin Khan, expressing concerns over the handling of a critical case involving the powers of Supreme Court benches. The case, State vs. Dewan Motors, was initially scheduled for January 13 but was adjourned to January 16 due to the need for further arguments. However, the bench was reconstituted, and Justice Aqeel Abbasi recused himself due to prior involvement in the case as a Sindh High Court judge.
The judges had instructed the Supreme Court office to present the case to the original bench by January 20, but the case remained unfixed. They voiced frustration, noting that the Practice and Procedures Committee unnecessarily raised the matter on January 17. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah clarified that his prior judicial order should have been sufficient and recorded, criticizing the committee for failing to follow this order. The judges raised concerns about judicial independence and procedural fairness.
