ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) unanimously approved the name of senior puisne judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Justice Aamer Farooq, as the chief justice of the IHC.

The seat will likely fall vacant, as the JCP has already recommended incumbent IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah’s elevation to the Supreme Court.

Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, the JCP in its meeting on Oct 24, in addition to a unanimous approval of Justice Minallah, had also approved the candidature of Justice Shahid Waheed of the Lahore High Court and Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi of the Sindh High Court (SHC) for the SC with a majority of five to four — both fourth on the seniority list of their respective courts. The commission, however, rejected the nomination of the SHC’s Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui in the same meeting.

The Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of Judges may consider the JCP’s recommendations this week. It is expected that the committee in a subsequent meeting will also examine the approval of Justice Farooq as the IHC chief justice.

CJP Bandial had on Oct 28 summoned a meeting of the JCP for Tuesday to examine the candidature of Justice Farooq, which was unanimously agreed by all the members.

Justice Bandial presided over the meeting, which was attended by senior puisne judge of the apex court Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, retired Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf Ali, newly appointed Law Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) member Akhtar Hussain and Islamabad Bar Council representative Qazi Rafiuddin Babar also attended the meeting.

Justice Osmani, who is an ad hoc member of the JCP, the AGP and the PBC representative joined the meeting through a video link.

According to sources, unlike the JCP’s routine meetings, the latest gathering lasted less than an hour since all the members approved Justice Farooq’s nomination unanimously, observing he was “well deserved” for the position.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2022