— Political parties name four senators, eight MNAs for committee
— Committee to select one name from a panel of three senior judges
ISLAMABAD: As countdown for naming the new Chief Justice of Pakistan has begun, a 12-member special parliamentary committee has been established to supervise the selection of the nation’s next chief justice.
This is a major shift in Pakistan’s judicial selection procedure which comes into force following the passage of 26th Constitutional Amendment. Â
The National Assembly and Senate are represented on the committee, which was formed in the wake of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution. Major political parties submit names to the office of the speaker of the National Assembly.
The speaker’s office reports that four Senate members have been nominated. Kamran Murtaza was nominated by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), while Farooq H. Naek, a seasoned attorney, was nominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Azam Nazeer Tarar was chosen by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominated Barrister Ali Zafar.
Senior members Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, and Shaista Pervaiz have been nominated by the PML-N from the National Assembly. Naveed Qamar and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf are the PPP’s nominees.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Barrister Gohar are among the PTI’s nominees, while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has chosen Khawaja Izharul Hassan for the special committee.
The formation of this committee is part of sweeping changes introduced under the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which reforms the process of appointing the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Previously, the Chief Justice was selected based on seniority, but under the new amendment, a three-member panel of senior judges will be reviewed by the parliamentary committee. The committee, requiring a two-thirds majority for approval, will then select the new Chief Justice.
This special committee is tasked with ensuring wider representation in judicial appointments, with the aim of enhancing transparency. The amendment also impacts the process for appointing Supreme Court judges, involving parliamentary members in decisions that were previously handled exclusively within the judiciary.
The committee’s role is to select one name from a panel of senior judges, which will then be forwarded to the Prime Minister for approval. The Prime Minister will submit the name to the President for final ratification, completing the appointment process.
The creation of this committee comes in response to ongoing demands for a more inclusive and accountable process for appointing key judicial figures. Speaking on the amendment, a government official said, “This new system will ensure that the judiciary’s leadership is selected through a more democratic and transparent process, involving broader political representation.”
The 26th Amendment was passed with a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and Senate, and has since been signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari. The amendment is widely seen as part of a broader effort to strengthen Pakistan’s constitutional and legal frameworks.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has hailed the amendment’s passage, calling it a “shining example of national consensus.” He expressed optimism that the changes will lead to a more just and transparent judicial system. “The era of dismissing elected prime ministers is over,” Sharif said, noting that the amendment fulfils the unfinished vision of the Charter of Democracy, a landmark political agreement between the late Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
The prime minister thanked Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman for their efforts in securing the amendment’s passage, noting that it sends a strong message that the nation’s future is being prioritised over individual interests. “These reforms will pave the way for easier access to justice and ensure Pakistan’s future is secure,” he concluded.
The first meeting of the newly formed parliamentary committee is expected to take place tomorrow, where they will begin reviewing the panel of senior judges for the position of Chief Justice. The Ministry of Law has been directed to coordinate with the judiciary to receive the names of the judges to be considered.
