Justice Shahid Bilal Nominated for Military Courts Case Bench
The commission largely supported the CJP's viewpoint, leading to the formation of a subcommittee to deliberate on the matter.
ISLAMABAD: A Judicial Commission meeting, chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, made key decisions regarding judicial appointments and constitutional matters on Thursday. One of the most notable developments was the nomination of Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan for the constitutional bench that will hear the case related to military courts.
The commission’s decision came after deliberations on the ongoing military courts case, with Justice Bilal’s nomination receiving the support of a majority vote. Additionally, Justices Adnan Karim and Agha Faisal were appointed as judges for the Sindh High Court’s constitutional bench.
In a separate matter, discussions were held concerning the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which is still under challenge in the Supreme Court. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had proposed hearing the petitions against the amendment before a full court, but CJP Afridi opposed this idea, emphasizing that it was the responsibility of the constitutional bench committee to make decisions regarding the petitions. The commission largely supported the CJP’s viewpoint, leading to the formation of a subcommittee to deliberate on the matter.
The 26th Amendment, which restructured the Judicial Commission, has faced legal challenges, and its legitimacy remains under question. Justice Shah raised concerns in a letter to the CJP, urging the postponement of judicial commission meetings until the validity of the amendment is resolved. He pointed out that the petitions against the amendment are still pending, and any actions taken by the reconstituted commission could be deemed invalid, potentially undermining public confidence in the judiciary.
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While the Judicial Commission deferred decisions on the appointment of additional judges for the Sindh and Peshawar High Courts, the nomination process remains ongoing. The meeting also discussed candidates for these appointments, including district and sessions judges and lawyers, whose names were under consideration.
The meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining the judiciary’s credibility by adhering to constitutional procedures, and it has set the stage for continued discussions on judicial appointments, amendments, and the military courts case in the coming weeks.
