ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: Justice (retd) Ali Hussain Qazilbash, a former judge of Supreme Court who was nominated by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry as a member of the Judicial Commission, resigned on Tuesday citing health reasons.

His request to be relieved has been accepted and a process has been initiated for his replacement.

The chief justice had on Oct 25 nominated Justice (retd) Qazilbash to the seven-member commission for two years under Article 175-A (2)(iii) of the Constitution. The commission is headed by the chief justice.

On Oct 28, the Pakistan Bar Council nominated former law minister Dr Khalid Ranjha to represent it in the JC.

In his letter to the chief justice, Justice Qazilbash expressed his gratitude to him for giving him the privilege of being a member of the JC to serve a national cause be involved in the process of nominating judges of superior courts. But he conveyed his inability to undertake the assignment because of acute heart ailment and requested to be relieved of the responsibility.

The chief justice has accepted the resignation and initiated the process of consultation with two most senior judges of the Supreme Court, as required under the Constitution, for nominating a suitable replacement.