Justice Shah Criticizes Judges Committee as a One-Man Show
Writes letter to SC Practice and Procedure Committee after skipping the meeting
Islamabad-(Mudassar Iqbal)-Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, a senior Supreme Court judge, has expressed strong reservations about the recent changes to the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, specifically the ordinance that allows the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to select any judge to serve on a three-member panel handling suo motu cases .
Shah skipped a judges’ committee meeting in Islamabad, prompting an early adjournment, as CJP Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan waited for him to arrive. In a letter to the committee, Shah criticized the immediate restructuring as “unnecessary” and the inclusion of a preferred member as an “undemocratic approach” and a “one-man show,
He questioned the necessity of reconstituting the committee so soon after the ordinance was enacted, stating that no explanation was provided for the removal of Justice Muneeb Akhtar from the committee.
Justice Mansoor made it clear that he would not participate in any meetings unless the former committee was reinstated.
Highlighting the importance of judicial transparency and independence, Justice Shah noted that the Chief Justice had previously expressed reservations about the ordinance.
He argued that a full court meeting should have been convened to discuss the ordinance’s implications, as its immediate implementation could undermine the integrity of the judiciary and affect its reputation.
He argued that the new ordinance’s constitutionality is questionable in light of a previous Supreme Court judgment and that proceeding with the committee’s work under these circumstances could damage the judiciary’s reputation.
