ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and two Supreme Court judges boycotted the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) meeting convened to appoint new judges to the apex court.
Speaking to reporters, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed their absence, stating, “The JCP meeting should have been postponed until the cases against the 26th Amendment were decided.”
Gohar further noted that apart from himself and Senator Ali Zafar, two Supreme Court judges—Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar—had also refrained from attending the meeting.
Days earlier, four Supreme Court judges, including Justices Shah and Akhtar, had formally requested the session’s postponement. Similarly, Senator Zafar had written to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, urging him to delay the proceedings.
Barrister Gohar explained that the meeting was set to decide on the appointment of eight judges, while PTI’s petitions against the 26th Amendment remained pending. He reiterated that both Justices Shah and Akhtar, as well as Barrister Zafar, had submitted letters requesting the delay.
“Since our concerns were not addressed and the meeting was not postponed, PTI chose not to participate,” Gohar asserted. “While the Judicial Commission meeting is ongoing, we have opted out.”
Echoing similar concerns, Barrister Zafar emphasized that the session should have been deferred until the seniority issue was resolved. “Judicial appointments cannot proceed without clarity on seniority,” he said, highlighting that the matter remained unresolved.
Meanwhile, the legal fraternity gathered at D-Chowk, protesting against the 26th Amendment. Lawyers’ representatives urged their colleagues to assemble at the protest site, where they planned to outline their next steps.
Ahead of the JCP meeting, PTI Senator Zafar reiterated the need to delay proceedings until the Islamabad High Court’s seniority issue was settled.
“Judicial decisions must be based on a clear seniority framework,” he stated, clarifying that while he had no objection to transfers, seniority remained the primary concern.
Zafar pointed out that the elevation of Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq to the Supreme Court would necessitate clarity on his successor. “We have already received letters from high court judges raising concerns over this matter,” he added.
While calling for postponement during the meeting, Zafar stressed that boycotting was not a viable solution. “We must not abandon the field but instead raise our voices within the system,” he urged.
He underscored the importance of collective advocacy: “A unified stance can help resolve these issues.” Despite differing opinions within the legal community, Zafar affirmed that PTI would continue to push for judicial reforms.
“Once the seniority issue is settled, we can proceed with the provisions of the 26th Amendment,” he concluded.
